The relative importance of technology in enhancing customer relationships in banking – a Scottish perspective

Abstract

This paper sheds some light on the debate about the extent of use of IT in services, in this case in banking. In such a competitive sector where quality of service can be a differentiator in the marketplace, the balance between personal interaction and technologically delivered services must be right if customers are to be retained over time. Research was carried out in Scotland to elicit the views of personal bank customers, business customers and bank staff with respect to the use of different banking technologies. Findings point towards the need for a balanced approach that avoids over use of technology at the expense of the personal approach to service delivery and towards the need to provide customers with some technological training rather than assuming they will automatically accept technology and make use of it.