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The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors that influence retail bank switching in the Ghanaian banking sector.

A detailed review of the extant literature and focus group discussions was used to identify 31 variables which were used to survey 419 customers of 18 retail banks in Ghana. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis were used to identify the main retail bank switching factors.

The result of the study indicates that service encounter failures, pricing failures, electronic banking failures, service recovery failures and core service failures accounted for retail bank customer's decision to switch banks in Ghana.

The focus of the study on Ghana limits the generaliseability of the findings. Moreover, the five factor structure identified in the study could be replicated in other countries, thereby setting the stage for cross-country studies on retail bank switching.

The study concludes that factors that account for retail bank switching in developed economies are not essentially different from the factors accounting for retail bank switching in Ghana. The study is thus significant especially to foreign banks entering the Ghanaian banking industry as it provides insight into how to satisfy and retain customers.

The development and maintenance of a long-term relationship with customers are essential for banks to bolster their profits and thrive in a competitive environment. This study aims to explore the key factors that influence individuals' bank-switching behavior in the Malaysian retail banking industry to provide insights to bank managers to develop effective customer retention strategies.

A convenient sampling technique was used to distribute questionnaires to bank customers in Malaysia. A total of 312 utilizable questionnaires were obtained for further analysis. For the data analysis, the authors used explanatory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and logit and probit models to identify the determinants of bank-switching behavior of bank customers in Malaysia.

This study revealed that switching costs, effective advertising from competitors, inconvenience, price factor and service failures significantly influence customers' retail bank-switching behavior in the Malaysian context. The findings bring some significant policy implications for bank management decisions.

The non-probability, convenience online sampling method may not be generalized to the population. However, the descriptive demographic statistics show that the findings provide a reasonable representation of the Malaysian population.

This study empirically investigates the determinants of individual customers' retail bank-switching behavior in the Malaysian context. This study is the first of its kind to observe the unique feature of price factor as a determinant of individual customers' switching behavior in the Malaysian retail banking industry, contrasting previous similar studies in different countries.

Losing customers can have a detrimental impact on a bank’s market share and profit. Despite these negative effects, few studies have sought to investigate fully the process of defection. Proposes, therefore, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the process of switching retail banking services by investigating the problems that influence both switching behaviour and complaints made prior to exit. Empirical evidence was drawn from 694 mail surveys collected from banking customers in Australia and New Zealand. The reasons for switching banks were classified into three main problem areas: service failures, pricing problems and denied services. Results indicated that problems with pricing had the most important impact on switching behaviour. In contrast, customers tended to complain more often about service failures prior to exiting the firm. This finding suggests that customers may be staying silent about the problems that are most important in their decision to exit the firm.

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether switching barriers in the retail banking industry affect different age groups differently.

Questionnaires were administered to 188 bank customers of different age groups, measuring their perception of variables related to relational benefits, switching costs, availability and attractiveness of alternatives, service recovery and retention.

Results from independent two‐sample t‐tests and logistic regression support all five hypotheses, confirming that young and older bank customers differ significantly in their perception of switching barriers: relational benefits, switching costs, availability and attractiveness of alternatives, service recovery and the duration of time they intend to end their relationship with their banks.

This study was conducted among employees of two higher education institutions. Thus, further research needs to test the research results in a diverse population.

Since younger customers are more likely to change their banks easily, if retail banks want to retain younger customers they need to offer more meaningful incentives to younger customers than they offer to older customers. In terms of practice the findings in this research highlight the need for managers to design different switching barrier packages for each customer age group.

Researchers in the past have found a close association between customer age and bank product usage and have shown that switching barriers play an important role in binding the customer to the service organization. However this research not only validates the switching barrier variables that affect different age groups differently but also elevates the role of age in banks switching barrier design.

The paper aims to explore the effects of the behavioural antecedents suggested by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) (i.e. positive subjective norms, high perceived behavioural control and positive attitudes towards switching) on the switching propensity of retail banking customers at several critical switching incidents (CSIs) (i.e. events of unfavourable reputation concerning their current bank or favourable reputation concerning competitor banks, service failures, problems with charges and interest rates, herding behaviour, inconvenience, alternative banks' attractiveness and unethical bank practices).

A self-completed online survey was conducted among 324 Cypriot retail banking customers. For the data analysis, the researchers used principal component analysis (PCA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM).

The study revealed that the behavioural antecedents specified by TPB play different roles in various CSIs. Positive subjective norms may drive bank customers to switch at critical incidents such as: service failure, unfavourable bank reputation, alternative banks' attractiveness, inconvenience, favourable reputation of other banks and herding behaviour. High perceived behavioural control can lead to switching, only in the case of other banks' favourable reputation. Finally, positive attitudes towards switching may affect bank clients to switch in cases of service failure, unfavourable bank reputation, alternative attractiveness and inconvenience.

To the best of the authors' knowledge, no other previous research work has examined the interaction between the antecedents of switching behaviour (as specified by TPB) and switching propensity at different CSIs. The study addresses the gap of explaining the reasons for which, at similar incidents, some bank customers choose to switch to other banks, whereas others do not.

The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a comprehensive hierarchical model of behavioural intentions in the Malaysian retail banking industry.

The data were analysed using EFA, CFA and structural modelling.

The findings illustrate that customer satisfaction is the most important determinant of behavioural intentions, followed by switching costs, corporate image and perceived value. Service quality is indirectly related to behavioural intentions and customer satisfaction mediates the relationship between the two constructs. Customer satisfaction is strongly influenced by service quality, corporate image and perceived value. Service quality is also an antecedent of perceived value, corporate image and switching costs. The empirical results also support a hierarchical and multidimensional approach for conceptualising and measuring customers’ perceptions of service quality.

The comprehensive hierarchical model developed in this research can be used as framework for additional studies on the banking industry.

The findings provide Malaysian bank managers with empirically-based insights into behavioural intentions and offer guidelines for assessing and improving service quality.

This is the first study that uses comprehensive hierarchical modelling to synthesise the effects of service quality, customer satisfaction, perceived value, corporate image and switching costs on the behavioural intentions of retail bank customers.

Much research looks at why customers switch service organizations but there has been less focus on why customers do not switch service organizations, even though they have seriously considered doing so. In light of this, we present an analysis of the literature and develop a list of potential switching barriers. These switching barriers are then empirically tested within two financial services industries. Results from over 400 consumers enable us to ascertain not only the importance of each switching barrier but also to develop a more parsimonious understanding of these barriers, through factor analysis. The results reveal similar patterns in the two industries in respect to switching barriers. The first of the four factors contains reasons related to apathy, the second factor contains negative reasons for customers staying with their current service provider, the third factor relates to relationship variables and the final factor relates to service recovery. Results clearly indicate that the first two factors are far more important than the latter two in terms of why customers stay even when they seriously considered leaving.

The financial services market is constantly changing in terms of both competition and consumer behaviour. Customer switching is increasing, while bank marketers attempt to maintain a loyal customer base, in order for the banks to survive and be profitable. The aim of this research was to provide deeper insight into the direct effect of price satisfaction as expressed by its various dimensions on bank customer switching behaviour.

The research involved a review of the literature on factors affecting customer switching behaviour, with a particular emphasis on the role of price. In order to obtain the necessary data, a survey was designed and conducted in the greater Athens area. The questionnaire was administered to 306 bank customers by means of personal interviews.

The data analysis suggests that bank customer “intentions to switch banks” are affected by the level of their “price satisfaction”. “Price satisfaction” in turn is affected positively by “transparency”, “price quality ratio”, “relative price”, “reliability” and “price fairness”. In addition, “information search” exerts a positive impact on “price satisfaction”.

This study extends previous academic research, by analysing “price satisfaction” in depth, through its various dimensions and by examining the relationships between these variables and consumer switching intention. In addition, statistical evidence of these relationships and their synergies is provided.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze consumer switching behavior, which in the retail banking sector is of outmost importance, particularly during financial crises and in their ensuing consolidation pressures. Moreover, research indicates that cultural values play a critical role in determining a customer’s likelihood to switch the service provider. The theory of planned behavior offers a comprehensive theoretical framework for an understanding of this behavior. Its application implies that switching is influenced not only by one’s attitudes toward changing banking service providers, but also by the merger situation at hand, the influence of significant others, and whether the switching decision is under one’s behavioral control.

This paper scrutinizes the merger between Lloyds TSB and Halifax Bank of Scotland in the Spanish market, with a focus on the differences between British and Spanish consumers. In all, 30 face-to-face exploratory interviews were conducted with a sample of customers from both nationalities selected through a purposive sampling technique.

The results indicate that the switching behavior within the banking sector is largely determined by one’s cultural background. While individualistic consumers are more prone to switch banks, collectivist consumers are highly risk averse and are unwilling to lose the established relations with a bank’s personnel. These particular characteristics make them unlikely to switch banks irrespective of a merger and its related consequences.

This paper examines the impact of cross-cultural differences on consumer switching motivations and intentions in the particular case of a real-life banks’ merger.

With increasing competition, Islamic banks in Kuwait are currently facing difficulties in retaining their customers as customers now have the option to switch from one bank to another. As the banking industry offers almost identical products and services, customers are more likely to change their bank when they get a better offer from another bank, especially if the customer is dissatisfied with the current bank. Thus, this study aims at identifying the most significant factors that make Islamic bank customers switch their bank.

The data for this study was collected through a survey with a response rate of 25.5%. Logistic regression was used to analyze the collected data and examine the effect of each factor on the customer switching behavior.

The results of empirical analysis reveal that the service convenience, service reliability, level of technology and Sharia compliance are the most significant factors influencing the customer switching behavior in Kuwaiti Islamic banks. Thus, Islamic bank managers should focus on these factors when building their strategies to increase their customer’s satisfaction and loyalty. Loyal customers are more profitable than new customers as they are more likely to use more services, spread a positive word of mouth and, more importantly, they are more likely to resist competitors’ offers.

Identifying and understanding these factors will enable Islamic bank managers to direct their efforts and resources to the most cost-effective ways that help them to retain their customers, and accordingly, increase bank profits.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the customer switching behavior in Kuwait, and one of the few to present a model that explains the stages through which customers pass until they reach the switching decision.