Customer Service in Retail Banking: Case Analysis of HSBC and Barclays Bank

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take this chance for thanking my research facilitator, friends & family for support they provided & their belief in me as well as guidance they provided without which I would have never been able to do this research.

DECLARATION

I, (Your name), would like to declare that all contents included in this thesis/dissertation stand for my individual work without any aid, & this thesis/dissertation has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level previously. It is also representing my very own views & not essentially which are associated with university.

Signature:

Date:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Outline of the Study1

Background of the Study2

Rationale of the Study4

Aims and Objectives5

Research Questions5

Hypothesis6

Time Scale6

Gantt chart7

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW8

HSBC8

Barclays8

Managing Customers through Quality Services9

Relationship Marketing15

Function of Customer Service in an Organisation17

Customer Satisfaction18

Customer Perceptions and Service Quality19

Perception/ Performance Approach21

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY24

Research Design24

Questionnaire25

Questionnaire Survey25

Questionnaire Frame Work26

Questionnaire Design26

Sampling Technique27

Data Analysis28

Method for Data Collection29

Ethical Issues30

Reliability31

Validity31

Confidentiality32

CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS34

Interview Analysis34

Questionnaire Analysis36

Research Findings46

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION49

Summary of the Findings49

Recommendations and Future Aspects51

Limitation of the Research53

REFERENCES54

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Outline of the Study

This research focuses on customer service in retail banking, and further analyses and compares the customer service of two banks, i.e. HSBC and Barclays. The study comprises of the following sections:

The first chapter introduces the topic of the research and provides the background, rationale, aims and objectives, research questions, hypothesis and time scale for the study.

The second chapter provides the appropriate and significant literature review for the selected research topic that signifies the past study in this field.

The third chapter provides a general idea about the research methodology that has been selected for this research. The methodology mainly includes; the research design, questionnaire design and framework, sampling technique, data collection method, ethical considerations for the research. In addition, reliability and validity of the survey is also defined in this chapter.

The fourth chapter provides the analysis of findings in a detailed manner so that a conclusive outcome can be obtained.

The fifth chapter summarizes the complete study and further presents future recommendations and limitations of the study.

Background of the Study

Customer service is very important for every organisation. It helps the companies in ensuring that they are able to retain the customers throughout and help them in creating customer loyalty. The importance of customer service is very high in every company, but it is very important in the banking sector, as well. It helps them in ensuring that the customers stay with them and keep their deposits with them so that the bank can grow. In order to stay ahead of the other banks, they have to make sure that the customer service is proper and helps them in maintaining good reputation in the market (Cronin and Taylor, 1992). The competition in the international market is so immense and intense that banks have to make sure that their customer service is above par and they are delivering the best customer service. The customer-bank relationships are long lasting; therefore, it is very ...