Exploring customer dissatisfaction/satisfaction and complaining responses among bank customers in Ghana

Abstract

The paper explores the relationship between customer dissatisfaction/satisfaction and complaining responses among bank customers in Ghana banking industry. The study was a cross-sectional survey that used a self-administered structured questionnaire to collect primary data from 448 customers from ten selected banks in Ghana. The findings are that, though dissatisfaction causes customer complaining, dissatisfaction was more prevalent among non-complainers than complainers. Again, frequency of complaining is more likely to increase overall satisfaction if managed effectively. The most likely to be used complaining responses are complaining in person and refraining from using the bank’s services, while the least likely to be used complaining responses are complaining to the mass media and consumer associations. Moreover, public bank customers are more likely to complain by refraining from using the bank’s services and warning family and friends than private bank customers do. There was significant correlation between complaining responses and frequency of complaining, and between complaining responses and overall satisfaction. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed. In spite of its limitations, the paper contributes to the body of knowledge in the area of consumer complaining behaviour in banking industry in emerging economies.