Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to develop a measuring and modelling instrument of Internet banking service quality (IBSQ) for the South African banking sector. Snowball and convenience sampling, both non-probability techniques were used to recruit participants for the study. A total of 310 Internet banking customer responses were utilised in the analysis. Using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), eight determinant factors that explained IBSQ were extracted. Following this, the study determined the causal relationship amongst IBSQ, customer value, satisfaction and loyalty through correlation analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM). The proposed model indicates that IBSQ, comprising eight factors, positively influences customer value, satisfaction and loyalty. The model found customer satisfaction to be a predictor of customer loyalty in an Internet banking context. Contrary to the hypothesised model, the influence of customer value was limited to customer satisfaction. The influence of customer value on customer loyalty was found to be rather weak; it influenced customer loyalty only indirectly through customer satisfaction. Understanding the intricate relationships amongst service quality, customer value, satisfaction and loyalty will definitely enhance banks’ understanding consumer behaviour and decision making in this digital era. The model may assist bankers to measure, manage and improve IBSQ. Banks could utilise this measurement model to design and improve their Internet banking services.

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