Does SERVQUAL Remain A Reliable Approach to Understanding Customer Satisfaction in Indian Digital Banking?
-
https://doi.org/10.14419/awfyt771
Received date: September 11, 2025
Accepted date: October 17, 2025
Published date: November 12, 2025
-
SERVQUAL; Digital Banking; Customer Satisfaction; India; SEM; CFA -
Abstract
The rapid expansion of digital banking in India has prompted renewed evaluation of traditional service quality frameworks. Among these, SERVQUAL (Service Quality), comprising five dimensions—Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, Empathy, and Tangibles, has long served as a benchmark for measuring customer satisfaction. However, its suitability for technology-driven environments remains debated. This study critically examines whether SERVQUAL continues to be a reliable and valid framework for assessing customer satisfaction in Indian digital banking. Based on survey data from 330 active e-banking users, the study employs descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, multiple regression, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and Structural Equation Modelling to validate the model. Results reveal that all five SERVQUAL dimensions significantly influence satisfaction, with Empathy, Assurance, and Reliability emerging as dominant predictors. Tangibles and Responsiveness, though significant, exert comparatively weaker effects. The CFA confirms construct validity, while SEM demonstrates robust path relationships, supporting SERVQUAL’s continued relevance in the digital context. Theoretically, this study reinforces SERVQUAL’s adaptability to technology-mediated environments, while practically offering insights for Indian banks to prioritise trust-building dimensions over functional aesthetics. Policy recommendations include strengthening digital security standards, promoting customer education initiatives, and encouraging regulatory alignment under the Reserve Bank of India. By validating SERVQUAL in a highly dynamic market, this research establishes the model as an adaptive and enduring tool for evaluating service quality in the era of digital transformation.
-
References
- Adebayo, O., & Singh, R. (2025). Digital literacy and satisfaction in fintech adoption. International Journal of Emerging Markets.
- Amin, M. (2016). Impact of internet banking service quality on e-customer satisfaction and loyalty. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 34(3), 280–306. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBM-10-2014-0139.
- Ayinaddis, S. G., Taye, B. A., & Yirsaw, B. G. (2023). Examining the effect of electronic banking service quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 12(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13731-023-00287-y.
- Cronin, J. J., & Taylor, S. A. (1992). Measuring service quality: A reexamination and extension. Journal of Marketing, 56(3), 55–68. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299205600304.
- Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2019). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (2nd ed.). Sage. https://doi.org/10.3926/oss.37.
- Kaura, V. (2013). Antecedents of customer satisfaction: A study of Indian public and private sector banks. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 31(3), 167–186. https://doi.org/10.1108/02652321311315285.
- Malc, D., Skokic, V., & Pivac, S. (2023). The development of e-banking services quality. Sustainability, 15(16), 12659. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612659.
- Malhotra, P., Kaur, S., & Sharma, N. (2025). Validating SERVQUAL through CFA in digital banking. Journal of Financial Services Research, 48(2), 122–139.
- Meenaprabha, P., Saravanan, A., & Suresh, S. (2025). Emotional intelligence and its impact on service performance and customer satisfaction. Future Business Journal, 11(1), 48. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-025-00548-0.
- Palamidovska-Sterjadovska, N. (2025). Service quality in mobile banking. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 43(6), 1195–1212. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBM-02-2024-0105.
- Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perceptions of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64(1), 12–40.
- Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Malhotra, A. (2005). E-S-QUAL: A multiple-item scale for assessing electronic service quality. Journal of Service Research, 7(3), 213–233. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670504271156.
- Rajan, R., & Kumar, P. (2024). Perceived security and data privacy in digital banking: An Indian perspective. Asian Journal of Business Research, 14(1), 58–73.
- Saxena, A., & Rao, M. (2025). Determinants of continued use of digital banking services in India. Journal of Financial Innovation, 9(2), 77–95.
- Sharma, K., & Bansal, N. (2025). Understanding consumer behavior in e-banking: A study on service convenience. South Asian Journal of Business Studies, 14(2), 203–219.
- Sherwani, H., Ali, R. A., Azhar, M., & Mariam, S. (2024). Impact of e-banking service quality on purchase intention with mediating role of customer satisfaction. Journal of Excellence in Social Sciences, 3(2), 170–182. https://doi.org/10.69565/jems.v3i2.217.
- Tiwari, R., Gupta, V., & Singh, R. (2024). Cybersecurity awareness and digital trust in banking consumers. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Ser-vices, 78, 103495.
- Zhou, T., & Kim, J. (2025). Perceived empathy and personalization in digital banking: Implications for customer loyalty. Asia Pacific Journal of Mar-keting and Logistics, 37(1), 95–112.
-
Downloads
-
How to Cite
Isha, & Khurana, P. A. . (2025). Does SERVQUAL Remain A Reliable Approach to Understanding Customer Satisfaction in Indian Digital Banking?. International Journal of Accounting and Economics Studies, 12(7), 390-396. https://doi.org/10.14419/awfyt771
