Title: Service quality at Jordanian commercial banks: what do their customers say?

Authors: Sulieman Ibraheem Shelash Al-Hawary; Amal Metabis

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Finance and Business Administration, Al al-Bayt University, P.O. Box 130040, Mafraq, 25113, Jordan. ' Department of Business Science, Faculty of Management Science, Ammar Thelgi University, P.O. Box 37G, Laghouat, 03000, Algeria

Abstract: Based upon an extended SERVQUAL model, this paper attempts to measure the service quality in commercial banks in Jordan. Data were collected via self-administered questionnaire from samples of bank customers (344). Service quality was measured using the five SERVQUAL dimensions of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. The results of the study found that the dimensions of service quality provided by Jordanian commercial banks are of great importance, respondents reported high levels of perceived service quality provided by Jordanian commercial banks, the assurance is clearly the most important dimension. Jordanian banks could realise a competitive advantage by emphasising assurance in service delivery. As a result, the Jordanian commercial banking sector needs to take initiative to become more competent by being more responsive through fulfilling their assurance for customers and by providing banking facilities more conveniently. It was therefore, recommended that banking service providers should pay special attention to their service quality and the factors that drive customer satisfaction. Suggestion for future research was also offered.

Keywords: service quality; commercial banks; Jordan; bank customers; SERVQUAL; reliability responsiveness competence access courtesy communication credibility security customers tangibility; tangibles; assurance; empathy; competitive advantage; service delivery; initiative; banking facilities; convenience; service providers; customer satisfaction; productivity management; quality management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2012.048752

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2012 Vol.10 No.3, pp.307 - 334

Published online: 31 Oct 2014 *

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