The mediating role of corporate image on customers’ retention decisions: an investigation in financial services

A conceptual framework is proposed that investigates the effects of customer satisfaction, service quality, and value on perceptions of corporate image and customer loyalty towards the service firm. To test the framework, structural equation modelling techniques are applied to data collected from 1,224 customers in the banking services industry. The results of the study indicate that satisfaction and service quality are positively related to value and that quality exerts a stronger influence on value than satisfaction. The findings also show that customers receiving higher levels of service quality will form a favourable image of the banking institution. In addition, value is found to positively impact on image, suggesting that the banking institution should have a strong image when customers believe they are getting high value. Similarly, customer satisfaction and image perceptions are found to impact on service loyalty with satisfaction having a greater influence on loyalty than image. The managerial and research implications of the reported study are discussed.