George W. Stone

An empirical evaluation of US bank customer perceptions of the impact of technology on service delivery in the banking sector

The instalment of customer friendly technology (such as menu driven automated teller machines, telephone and Internet banking services) as a means of delivering traditional banking services has become commonplace in recent years as a way of maintaining customer loyalty and increasing market share. Traditional brick and mortar banks are using technology to meet the competitive challenge posed by online banks, as well as a method of reducing the cost of providing services that were once delivered exclusively by bank personnel. The present research investigates some of the various roles technology plays in the US banking sector and how technology in general impacts the delivery of banking service. The authors developed a grid that might prove useful to bank managers when making decisions concerning the priority of implementation of service‐oriented technology. Key strategic implications are discussed to include ways banks can improve the level of technology‐based service they provide to their customers.

An educational institution's quest for service quality: customers’ perspective

Purpose – The purpose of the current study is to assess some of the self‐reported factors that students in the study used as choice criteria in making their school selection.Design/methodology/approach – The results of this study were obtained by conducting a series of focus groups involving incoming freshmen at a small liberal arts university located in the south eastern part of the USA. The focus groups were conducted to obtain insight into the factors that led this particular group of freshmen to the school and, second, to determine what areas were not living up to their expectations. The authors later surveyed a large sample (450 students) of the incoming freshman class using a questionnaire that was developed from the input obtained during the focus groups.Findings – Analysis of gap scores for the student population used in this study indicates that the current group does not consider their university a “quality” institution. Additionally, the importance‐performance grid (I‐P grid) points towards a l...

Eco-Orientation: An Extension of Market Orientation in an Environmental Context

Jaworski and Kohli’s (1993) framework and research outlining antecedents and consequences of an organization’s market orientation found that market oriented firms are more profitable. In this research we investigate similar antecedents to a firm’s orientation toward environmental issues and threats (i.e., its eco-orientation) and the firm’s subsequent business performance. Importantly, the findings suggest that firms responsive to eco-oriented issues perform better in the market place. Results provide important implications for corporate culture, public policy, and organizational theory.

An exploratory study on the use of banking technology in the UK: A ranking of importance of selected technology on consumer perception of service delivery performance

Purpose – The current exploratory study is an attempt to discover the underlying areas of dissatisfaction associated with the banking experience in the UK, particularly as it relates to the implementation of new service delivery technology in the banking industry. Design/methodology/approach – The data for this study was collected in two stages. In stage one, three focus groups were conducted using bank customers from the southern part of the USA to generate items important to users of financial services in the USA. These items were then considered by a number of bank customers in the UK (Bristol and Bournemouth area) to insure equivalence of constructs and measurements. Stage two involved distributing 300 surveys to a convenience sample of electronic banking customers from the sampling area of interest in the UK. In order to qualify, respondents had to have used one of the available electronic banking services offered by the bank at least once during the previous month. Findings – The importance‐performance grid demonstrates that two of the factors and their underlying attributes fall into the “Keep up the good work” quadrant and the other two factors fall into the “Low priority” quadrant. The first two are areas the organization needs to allocate resources in order to maintain the level of service they provide their clients. From a strategic point of view, this grid provides a tool for strategy development as it gives a clear picture of the factors that are critical for resource allocation. Research limitations/implications – The primary limitation of this study is the scope and size of its sample. Nonetheless, the study does provide evidence for the development and use of the I‐P grid for preliminary identification and assessment of customer measures of service quality. Originality/value – By demonstrating the feasibility of the approach taken by the study, it should be possible for financial institutions to utilize similar procedures when evaluating the overall satisfaction levels of their customers’ banking experience. It also allows service providers to consider the changing needs and wants of customers’ in the financial sector.

Importance-performance analysis of UK and US bank customer perceptions of service delivery technologies

Importance-performance analysis is utilised to compare the perceptions held by bank customers regarding selected service delivery technologies (SDTs) such as automated teller machines (ATMs), telephone banking and internet banking. Bank patrons in the United Kingdom and the United States are surveyed to examine which service delivery factors they consider to be most important toward assessing the performance of SDTs offered by banking institutions. Customer views are plotted onto importance-performance grids which offer banking strategists a straightforward, graphic illustration of service factors that patrons consider to be salient and well-addressed by current installations of bank SDTs in each respective nation. The grids also offer heuristic decision guides for translating customer perceptions into strategic allocations of organisational investments toward SDTs.

Insurance customers’ assessment of service quality: a critical evaluation

Increased competition from their traditionally, “non‐insurance” partners in the financial services industry has forced “insurance only” companies to enter areas once considered exclusively part of the financial services market. The melding of the insurance, banking, and brokerage industries into one composite financial service industry has created confusion in the minds of many customers who were once able to delineate neatly company product lines. In order to remain competitive in a deregulated industry that has more or less encroached on all financial service providers, insurance companies and their sales representatives have had to reevaluate their traditional methods of attracting and keeping customers. To be successful in this endeavor, agents must take a closer look at just how they treat their customers. Therefore, examines a model proposed as an instrument to assess some of the possible determinants of customer loyalty. The model is based on agents’ ability to deliver on factors related to service quality. The measurement scale used in the study is based on the importance/performance paradigm. The results, somewhat surprisingly, indicate that respondents believe their individual agent is performing at an above average level. Provides conclusions and recommendations.

An exploratory study on the value of service learning projects and their impact on community service involvement and critical thinking

Purpose – This exploratory study attempts to capture some of the principal benefits/factors attributable to service learning/community service projects, from a student perspective.Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 67 males and 83 females (16 graduate, 71 seniors, and 63 juniors) participated in the study.Findings – Students believe that their college experience is preparing them for the job market, that critical thinking has been enhanced, and that their college academic experience has emphasized community service upon graduation.Practical implications – The results increase ones knowledge of the benefits of service learning since so much emphasis is currently being placed on improving the critical thinking and problem‐solving ability of undergraduate business students.Originality/value – Practitioners would be interested in understanding the impact that service learning can have on the problem‐solving ability of potential employees. If additional research could advance the proposition that stude...

Customer Perceptions of Bank Service Delivery Technologies in the United States and England

This study compares bank customer perceptions within the United Kingdom and the United States regarding selected bank service delivery technologies (including automated teller machines, automated menu-driven telephone answering services and Internet banking services). In particular, an important-performance analysis identifies service factors that customers consider to be salient and well-performed through current service delivery technologies offered by banking industries in each respective nation. Also discussed are selected service factors that customers indicate may require relatively less attention or more strategic investments by bank organizations.

Toward a Global Consumer “Eco-orientation” Model: A Cross-national Perspective

ABSTRACT A third-order global consumer eco-orientation model is developed that captures similarities among cross-national consumers with different cultural and economic backgrounds. Two second-order constructs emerge. The first second-order construct, eco-notions, is conceptualized to capture intangible environmental notions. The other second-order construct, eco-actions, is conceptualized to capture tangible environmental actions. The systematic specification of the model sheds light on universal environmental concerns at the consumer level of three economy types. The model adds understanding of the value that cross-national consumers place on the environment. In the process of model specification, the foundational perspective of the properties associated with the multifactor eco-scale is challenged. The result is a new third-order, multidimensional model characterizing ecological concerns of cross-national consumers.

Why Do Spectators Go to the Game

The purpose of this paper is to provide a research agenda for understanding the reason spectators attend major college and professional sporting events. Although Americans spend around