Customer switching behaviour: an exploratory study of predictive factors in the UK retail banking context
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Date
25/11/2014Item status
Restricted AccessEmbargo end date
31/12/2100Author
Misbah, Hanim
Metadata
Abstract
The main inquiry for this research is to identify the reasons that contribute to customer
switching intention decisions. In addressing this enquiry, two theories - the theory of
migration and theory of planned behaviour - were identified as the theoretical
framework underpinning the study. Two main objectives of the study were (i) to
identify the push-pull and mooring factors and (ii) to measure the relationship between
the push-pull and mooring factors towards switching intention. The investigation
focused on the impact of with push-pull-mooring factors on switching intention. Early
research into switching behaviour studies focused largely on variables that contribute to
the switching intention decision, mainly due to the critical incidents encountered by
customers that push them from their origin or pull them to another destination or
mooring factors that might inhibit or mitigate their switching decision. In view of this,
a combination of push-pull and mooring variables were used to measure the switching
intention behaviour. A multiple method approach was used to study the issues in two
different stages. In the first stage qualitative data collection was used to support and
confirm the identification of factors from the literature. For the main quantitative
methods, using a hypothetical deductive testing approach, this study (N=2018) used
survey data collected via a self-administered, voluntary online survey, to develop
switching intention behaviour model. The results indicated that situational factors,
positive attachments, perceived switching benefits, positive attitudes towards switching
and positive beliefs of others towards switching emerged as consistent push factor while
availability of alternatives emerged as the pull factors. Interestingly poor pricing, poor
service incidents, positive ability to switch and switching barriers were not supported in
this study indicating that there is no relationship between poor pricing, poor service
incidents, positive ability to switch and switching barriers towards switching intention.