Customer satisfaction and competencies: an econometric study of an Italian bank

We empirically address how Customer Satisfaction (CS) and loyalty in the banking industry may affect profitability. This helps in identifying the strategy and competencies necessary to benefit from customer relationships, which are important sources for improved performance in the banking. We do this by analysing data collected on 2105 customers of 118 branches of one of the biggest banks of an Italian banking group. We find that CS impacts loyalty, which in turn has a direct effect on financial and nonfinancial customer value/total customer value/complex customer value. Moreover, loyalty is a mediator between financial and nonfinancial customer value and two sources of CS, namely, relationships with the front office and the branch, on the one hand, and the products offered, on the other.