Multi-Channel Banking and Stakeholders’ Perceptions in Emirati and Italian Banks

Abstract

The main objective of the research is “to give voice” to bank customers in the UAE and Italy, by analyzing the ways and the extent to which their needs and requests across a wide range of multi-channel banking services are being (mis)communicated, (mis)understood and (un)resolved by bank employees.

While previous studies have examined several aspects of customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction with regard to the communication process between customers and bank employees (e.g., customer—front desk officials, customer—call-center agents), very little research has been done so far in order to understand the motivational factors underlying bank customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction with regard to communication in multi-channel banking, which involves different types of interaction: face-to-face, telephone, ATM, online, mobile, apart from branch banking.

The empirical data collection method used for this study is the semi-structured interview and the questionnaire. In order to compare the different perspectives, three different sets of interview questions have been designed within the research: (i) a set of interview questions aimed at bank customers; (ii) a set of interview questions aimed at bank employees; (iii) a set of interview questions aimed at bank executives.

The results show that banks have to pay close attention to the synergies and relationships among different channels, developing an integrated communication process. The proliferation of both offline and online contact points adds further complexity. In this context, banks have to integrate and reconcile the different sources of information for a holistic overview of the customer, in order to be able to provide a consistent experience across channels.