On the role of bank staff in online customer purchase

Purpose – This paper reports the findings of the latest, quantitative phase of a continuing study that explores the impact of the internet on bank‐customer relationships. The specific aim is to shed light on customers' own views about when, how and in which circumstances personal contact with bank staff remains appropriate despite developments in online banking. Design/methodology/approach – Building on key elements of the theoretical framework developed in earlier phases of the study and taking methodological leads in the academic literature, a questionnaire was constructed and delivered to 5,000 customers of one UK bank. The usable response rate was just less than ten per cent, delivering almost 500 sets of respondent data, which were analysed by multiple regression. Findings – Motivating and inhibiting influences on interaction with bank staff are identified. Data analysis shows that the more complex the service product offerings, the more customers require reassurance about internet security and the impersonal and intangible nature of online transactions. At the highest level of complexity, they feel the need for “coaching” in the procedures of online banking by bank staff, face‐to‐face and perhaps even in the home. Research limitations/implications – While Stage I consisted of a small number of depth interviews with specialist managers in four countries, Stage II analysed a large number of questionnaire returns from customers of one bank in one country. There is obvious scope to enlarge both study settings and thereby improve the generalisability of findings and conclusions. Practical implications – The implications for marketing planning and strategy development in the banking environment are discussed, including the possibility that a viable strategic option could be reduce the emphasis on online transactions in the particular case of higher net‐worth customers. Originality/value – Adds to the body of knowledge about the rapidly developing phenomenon of remote banking transactions, especially the purchasing of financial services, facilitated by customer adoption of online banking (or “internet banking” or “e‐banking”).