The Effect of Perceived Customer Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction in Commercial Banks in Bamenda-Cameroon: Amidst of COVID-19

Abstract

The objective of this study is to analyse the effect of perceived customer service quality dimensions, namely reliability, tangibility, empathy, responsiveness and assurance on customer satisfaction in commercial banks in Bamenda, Cameroon during the COVID19 pandemic period. The researchers randomly distributed 600 self-administered survey questionnaires online among private banks’ customers in Bamenda and obtained 468 useable responses with a 78% valid response rate. The research data were analysed using the multiple correspondence analyses (MCA), ordinary least square (OLS) technique and the structural equation modelling (SEM) approaches. The findings of the study from the OLS indicate that the five dimensions of service quality considered that is reliability, tangibility, empathy, responsiveness and assurance all enhance customer’s satisfaction of commercial banks in Bamenda Cameroon. These outcomes were found to be robust to analyses obtained from the SEM approach. With regards to the demographic variables used, only gender have a significant effect on customer’s satisfaction. These current research outcomes are anticipated to provide basic tenants of enhancing the satisfaction of commercial bank clients in Cameroon as well other countries. The study can equally serve as a tool for evaluating the client’s satisfaction with bank service amidst the COVID19 crisis given the time the data was collected. A key limitation of the study is that is focus only on customers of commercial banks of Bamenda city in Cameroon.