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information concerning their bank quickly using things like websites and also through e- banking and through customised banking products. This can challenge the innovativeness of the bank to provide convenient service to clients.
Al-Abed (2003) pointed out that e-banking products lower barriers to entry for banks and give opportunities for significant cost reduction and greater opportunities to sell across borders. This is argued to then impact positively on customer satisfaction.
Customers were also asked to comment on their level of satisfaction of ICT based services offered by the bank. The researcher looked at areas such as responsiveness of the services, the physical equipment, security of e-banking and reliability.
Figure 4.5: Responsiveness
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The analysis shows that the mean response is 1.97 which is disagreeing. This means that customers disagreed that MBCA bank gives them prompt service to their queries through email and other electronic means. This means customers felt that the bank is not fast and efficient. According to Zethaml et al., (2002) responsiveness involves turnaround time of service actions like timely dispatch of a receipt or quickly calling back the customer.
This result contradicts with the views of Sergeant (2000) who pointed out that ICT services in banks result in high responsiveness of the bank. He pointed out that on-line, real-time banking services have now become a necessity as the customer demands the flexibility of operating an account in anywhere anytime.
42 Figure 4.6: Equipment
Figure 4.6 above shows that the mean response on issues to do with equipment was 2.93 which represent “don’t know”. This means that customers were not sure about the level of computerisation, ATM cards and that they were not aware of the state of the equipment.
Investments towards the ICT equipment support the implementation of ICT services in the banking industry. The usage of information technology (IT), broadly referring to computers and peripheral equipment, has seen tremendous growth in service industries in the recent past. The most obvious example is perhaps the banking industry, where through the introduction of IT related products in internet banking, electronic payments, security investments, information exchanges (Berger, 2003).
43 Figure 4.7: Reliability
The analysis shows that the mean response on reliability issues by customers was 2.11 which is disagree according to the Likert scale. This means that customers disagreed that MBCA bank services are dependable and reliable and that IT banking services provide accurate account information.
The researcher also investigated the general perception of customers on the internet banking services offered by the bank.
44 Figure 4.8: Internet Banking
Figure 4.8 above shows that customers were undecided on issues to do with the efficiency of internet banking. This implies that customers could not confirm that MBCA bank website design is visual, easy, quick and that it provides security.
Al-Somali et al. (2008) noted that low awareness of ICT banking is a critical factor in causing customers not to adopt ICT banking and Katri (2003) concurs that most important factors discouraging the use of ICT banking are lack of internet access and not having a chance to try out internet banking in a safe environment, thus not being in a position to access certain services. Moreover, the results can be supported by the fact that e-banking products and services are not very popular because customers still find them to be insecure and not better alternatives to traditional banking services (Balachandher, 2001).
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4.4 APPROPRIATE ICT TO FOSTER CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
In this section the researcher provides an analysis on the appropriateness of ICT to foster customer satisfaction. The concentrates on appropriateness of the equipment, internet banking, mobile banking, credit cards and e-bill pay.
4.4.1 Equipment
MBCA bank has state of the art server room where all the banks’ systems are housed most of them in a virtualized environment (MBCA ICT Report 2013).
Figure 4.4.1: Appropriateness of Equipment
The analysis shows a mean response of 2.06 which implies that respondents generally agreed that the ICT equipment which is at the bank is appropriate in the sense that it is modern and up to date for customers to appreciate the level of service.
Gao and Owolabi (2008) argued that the unavailability of ICT equipment will result in the lack of internet access and not having a chance to try out internet banking in a safe
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environment, thus not being in a position to access the bank account information and other services.
4.4.2 Internet banking
Figure 4.10: Appropriateness of Internet Banking
The analysis shows a mean response of 1.86 which can be approximated to 2 which is
“agree” on the lirket scale. This implies that respondents generally agreed that internet banking systems at MBCA bank are appropriate and that its customers appreciate internet banking.
47 4.4.3 Mobile banking
Figure 4.11: Appropriateness of Mobile banking
The analysis shows a response of 3.39 which shows that the responses are skewed towards disagree. This implies that respondents disagreed that MBCA bank has a mobile banking platform. This result is not in line with the views of Ndubisi et al., (2003) who pointed out that nowadays bank customers can use internet such as web sites of the banks like a virtual branch performing all most of the activities that could be performed in the bank premises, a customer transfer his funds to others, issue demand drafts, pay their credit card and utility bills, purchase mobile prepay cards and even shop directly from his account using bank websites.
4.4.4 Credit cards
48 Figure 4.12: Credit Cards
Figure 4.12 above shows that mean response is 3.25 showing that the analysis is skewed towards disagree. This implies that MBCA bank does not offer credit to its customers.
On the use of credit cards, the most important dimension is around privacy which comprises the guarantee that the record showing shopping activities and security of credit card/account information is not shared (Yang and Fang 2004; Saha and Zhao, 2005).
49 4.4.5 E Bill pay
Figure 4.13: E Bill Pay
The analysis shows that the mean response is 3.65 which show that the responses are skewed to disagree. This means that respondents generally customers of MBCA bank do not pay their bills through e-bill pay. This was not supported by Carse, (1999) who pointed out that customers want to transact their banking transactions at any time and location convenient for their life-style. They want to pay their regular household bills, buy and sell stocks and shares.
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4.5 WAYS TO USE ICT TO IMPORVE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
In this section the researcher provides an analysis on the ways that can be used on ICT to improve customer satisfaction.
4.5.1 Customer Research
Figure 4.14: Customer Research
The analysis shows an average response of 2.37 which implies that respondents recommended MBCA bank to understand its customers through research, building a customer relationship and act on the expectations of customers than of the bank itself.
MBCA bank being a service industry, there is a high degree of integration and interaction in terms of contact contribution; empowerment is a helpful instrument for successful control of individual customer relationships (Mudie and Cottam, 1993).The
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customer relationship can be enhanced by Automated teller machine (ATM), Internet banking, and call center play the role of touch points.
4.5.2 Service Quality Measurement
Figure 4.15: Measure of Customer satisfaction
The analysis revealed that mean response was 2.5 which can be approximated to 3 which implies that respondents were not sure about the issue of measuring customers’
expectations. Sharma et al, (2000) pointed out that successful customer satisfaction implementation is the capability of the business to develop better or more suitable products and services and this can only be known if the bank does a lot of customer satisfaction surveys.
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One of the characteristics of successful customer satisfaction implementation is the capability of the business to develop better or more suitable products and services via these “touch points” (Davenport et al, 2001).
4.5.3 Technology
Figure 4.16: Technology
Figure 4.16 above shows a mean response of 2.10 which implies that respondents agreed that MBAC bank must integrate technology effectively and appropriately to aid service performance.
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Technology in the banks is fast developing in a bid to cope up with the high level of development around the world. Deploying Information technology (IT) support functions fosters one-to-one relationships with each individual customer at any time (Shoemaker, 2001).