THE INFLUENCE OF CUSTOMER RETENTION STRATEGIES ON THE ORGANIZATION PERFORMANCE OF COMMERCIAL BANKS IN THIKA TOWN
Keywords:
Customer Retention Strategies, Organization performanceAbstract
Purpose: The concept of customer retention has gained popularity among numerous firms in the goods and services industry. Although extensive research exists on customer retention strategies, limited research is available on the link between customer retention strategies and the organization performance of firms. This study sought to determine the influence of customer retention strategies on the organization performance of commercial banks in Thika Town of Kiambu County.
Methodology: The study adopted descriptive research design. The population of interest for the study was the employees of the 22 commercial banks in Thika, which made a target population of 227. This study used purposive sampling where the branch managers, operations manager, credit managers, relationship officers and customer experience consultants of the commercial banks in Thika town, who are 121 in number, were included. The semi-structured questionnaire that comprised of closed-ended questions and open-ended questions were used as data collection instruments. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21. Regression analysis and correlation was used to determine the relationship and direction of variables respectively.
Findings: The findings were presented based on the specific objectives in the form of frequencies, tables, and charts. The study revealed that banks used various service distribution channels including Internet banking, Agency banking, Automatic Teller Machines and Mobile banking and POS Terminals. The study concluded that provision of quality service, employment of loyalty and rewards programs and a strong corporate image had a direct positive influence on the performance of Commercial Banks in Thika town.
Unique contribution to theory, practice, and policy: Banks should therefore ensure continuous innovation in distribution and invest in strategies that promote quality services. In addition, banks should invest in loyalty and rewards programs and invest in the enhancement of their corporate image in order to continue improving their performance.
Downloads
References
Axelsson, K. (2015). Exploring Relationships between Products Characteristics and B2C Interaction in Electronic Commerce. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 3(2), 1-17.
Blount, Y. (2011). Employee management and service provision: a conceptual framework. Information Technology & People, 24(2), 134-157.
Campbell, D., & Frei, F. (2010). Cost structure, customer profitability, and retention implications of self-service distribution channels: Evidence from customer behaviour in an online banking channel. Management Science, 56(1), 4-24.
Central Bank of Kenya (2020). Directory of licensed commercial banks, mortgage finance Institutions and authorized non-operating holding companies. Retrieved from https://www.centralbank.go.ke
Cook K.S., Cheshire C., Rice E.R.W., Nakagawa S. (2013) Social Exchange Theory. In: DeLamater J., Ward A. (eds) Handbook of Social Psychology. Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6772-0_3
Da Silva, R. V., & Syed, A, S. F. (2010). Cognitive, affective and conative behavioural responses in retail corporate branding. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 15(5), 293 305.
Dawkins, P. M., & Reichheld F. F. (2015). Customer Retention as a Competitive Weapon, Directors and Boards, 14 (4), 45-87.
DeSouza, G. (2012). "Designing a customer retention plan," Journal of Business Strategy, 13 (2), 24-38.
Dick, A. S., &Basu, K. (2014). Customer loyalty: Towards an integrated conceptual framework. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 22(2), 99-113.
Doyle, P. (2010). Value-Based Marketing: Marketing Strategies for Corporate Growth and Shareholder Value. New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Gilliam, T. K. (2014). "Closing the Customer Retention Gap," Bank Marketing, pp. 51-53.
Gummerson, E. (2012). Using Internal- marketing to develop a new culture. A Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 4 (7), 23-28.
Gustaffsson, A., Johnson, M. D., &Roos, I. (2005). The effects of customer satisfaction, relationship commitment dimensions, and triggers on customer retention. Journal of marketing, 69(4), 210-218.
Gwinner, A. (2010). Service Management and Marketing: A Customer Relationship Management Approach, 2nd ed., John Wiley, Chichester,
Hakansson, H., &Snehota, I. (2008). "The Burden of Relationships or Who's Next" Network Dynamics in International Marketing P. Naude & P. W. Turnbull Oxford: Elsevier Science.
Harwood, M. (2012). Branding on a Budget: Building the Community Bank's Image. Community Banker, 11(4) 24-28.
Hollensen, M. (2013). Branding on a Budget: Building the Community Bank's Image. Community Banker, 11(4) 24-28.
Homans, G. C. (1958). American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 63, No. 6, Emile Durkheim-Georg Simmel, 1858- 1958 (May, 1958), pp. 597-606
Ioanna, P. D. (2012). The Role of Employee Development in Customer Relations: The Case of UK Retail Banks. Corporate Communication, 7(1) 62-77.
Kamanu, M. N. (2004). Extent to which commercial Banks in Kenya have adopted and implemented integrated marketing, Unpublished MBA research project.
Kandampully, J. &Suhartanto, D. (2010). Customer loyalty in the hotel industry: the role of customer satisfaction and image. International J. Contemporary Hospitality Management. 12(6), 346-351.
Kapferer, J. N. (2011). The roots of brand loyalty decline: An international comparison. Ivey Business Journal, 69(4), 1-6.
Keaveney, S. M. (2015). "Customer switching behaviour in service industries: an exploratory study," Journal of Marketing, 59 (2), 1-82.
Kemunto, E., Ogutu, M., &Momanyi, S. (2015) Effectiveness of Customer Retention Strategies: A Case of Commercial Banks, Kenya. International Journal of Business and Management; 10 (10) 270-285.
Kheng, L. L., Mahamad, O., Ramayah, T., &Mosahab, R. (2010). The impact of service quality on customer loyalty: A study of banks in Penang, Malaysia. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 2(2), 57-74.
Kumar, N., Stern, L.W. & Achrol, R.S. (2012). Assessing retailer performance from the perspective of the supplier, Journal of Marketing Research, 29 (2), 28-53.
Kumar, V., & Reinartz, W. (2012). Customer relationship management: A databased approach. New York: John Wiley.
Liao, Z., & Cheung, M. T. (2002). Internet-based e-banking and consumer attitudes: an empirical study. Information & Management, 39(4), 283-295.
Liu, Y. (2017). "The long-term impact of loyalty programs on consumer purchase behaviour and loyalty," Journal of Marketing, 7 (4), 19-35.
Maleche, H. (2014). "Business Marketers make customer service job for all" Marketing News, Vol 23 No3 pp1-2
Mascareigne, J. (2016). Customer Retention: Case studies of agencies in the professional service sector. Master Thesis: Lulea University of Technology.
Mburu, P., Van Zyl, H., & Cullen, M. (2013). Determinants of Customer Satisfaction in the Kenyan Banking Industry.
Nyangosi, R., & Arora, J. S. (2011). Emergence of Information Technology in the Kenyan banking Sector: An empirical study. International Journal of Electronic Finance, 3(2), 6-12.
Onditi, A. A., Oginda, M. N., Ochieng, I., & Oso, W. (2012). Implications of service quality on customer loyalty in the banking sector. A survey of Banks in Homabay County, Kenya. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3(21) 35-78.
Orodho, J. A (2014). Techniques of writing research proposals and reports in educational and social sciences. Kanezya HP Publishers. Maseno.
Palacio, A. B., Meneses, G. D., & Perez, P. J. P. (2012). The configuration of the university image and its relationship with satisfaction of students. Journal of Education Administration, 40(5), 486-505.
Parasuraman, A. (2008). "Customer Service in Business-to-Business Markets: An Agenda for Research," Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing; 1(3) 44-65.
Reichheld, F.F. (1996). "The Hidden Advantages of Customer Retention," Journal of Retail Banking, 13 (4), 19-23.
Reichheld, F.F. (2016). The Loyalty Effect: The Hidden Force Behind Growth, Profits and Lasting Value, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA
Turnbull, P. W., & Wilson, D. T. (1989). Developing and protecting profitable customer relationships. Industrial Marketing Management, 18, 233-238.
Verhoef, P. (2013). Understanding the Effect of Customer Relationship Management Efforts on Customer Retention and Customer Share Development. Journal of Marketing, 67(4), 30-45.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.