Relationskvalitet i en digital kontext

: En studie av SME-bankrelationen under Covid-19 pandemin

Abstract

The development of the digitalization has resulted in a change from paper-based cash to card and internet payments. This change has made it possible to execute bank related activates all hours of the day and can be performed anywhere. As a result, the physical bank relations are limited and replaced by digital solutions. The on-going pandemic has accelerated the digitalization further, where the digital environment is the new normal. As a result, digitalization today is no longer voluntary but instead a more forced behavior. In order for the banks to retain long term customer relationships, it is critical that the quality is fulfilled despite the digital interactions. To investigate the quality of digital relations within banking, this study examines the quality of the relations together with three influential factors: engagement, trust and satisfaction. Unlike earlier research within this field, this study will apply the quality of the relations in a digital context, which results in an alternative empirical focus. The study investigates SME- bank relations since that is a large and important customer group. Therefore, it is of great interest to examine how SME experience the quality of digital solutions within banks.

The method of this study is based on a positivistic philosophy with a deductive approach where the theoretical framework is based on previous research. A quantitative research method is applied to collect the empirical data through internet-based surveys. The result of the study was analyzed based on the answer from 176 respondents. The result shows that trust and satisfaction effects the quality of digital relations between banks and SME.