An Exploratory Study of Customer Satisfaction in a Community Bank

In a competitive business environment, delivering high level of customer service is critical. Investigating this aspect further, this paper focuses on the physical and service attributes of consumer satisfaction in the banking business, and takes a fresh look at how community banks can compete with larger banks in niche service areas. The goal of the authors’ research is to find out whether the customers 1) were satisfied with every visit to the branch; 2) felt welcome when they came to the branch; 3.) considered the bank’s products substantial for their needs; 4) were satisfied with the image of the bank and 5) had any concerns about their bank deposits and about the bank’s (financial) position during difficult economic times. The findings indicate that customer responses are mixed on these issues, which make the banking industry strive to improve the service offerings. Interesting implications and ideas for further research also emanate from the current study.