From relationships to experiences in retail financial services

Deirdre O'Loughlin, Isabelle Szmigin, Peter Turnbull

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study investigates the nature of customer-supplier interaction that currently exists within Irish retail financial services. Specifically, issues relating to the role, meaning and importance of financial service interaction within the context of current demand- and supply-side relationship marketing issues are explored. Although the literature proposes that the relationship marketing (RM) approach is particularly applicable to the financial services sector, the research findings raise questions as to the appropriateness of general RM theory to the current nature of interaction between consumers and their financial services providers. In an age of increased depersonalisation and automation impacting upon financial service quality and delivery, the paper questions the relevance of the “relationship” concept and proposes the notion of an “experience” as a far more relevant and meaningful construct. The nature and importance of this experience to consumers is explored and three levels of customer experience are conceptualised which are identified as brand, transactional and relationship experience.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)522-539
Number of pages18
JournalInternational Journal of Bank Marketing
Volume22
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2004

Keywords

  • Consumers
  • Financial services
  • Ireland
  • Retailing
  • Suppliers

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