Exploring customer retention dynamics: A comparative investigation of factors affecting customer retention in the banking sector using mediation-moderation approach

The purpose of this research is to explore the impact of service quality, customer trust, and cultural disparities on customer satisfaction within the banking sector. Additionally, the study examined the mediating effect of customer satisfaction and the moderating effect of financial technology. Data for this investigation were gathered from customers utilizing services offered by public banks in Pakistan and China. The analysis was conducted using the Smart-PLS software, with 281 samples from Pakistan and 312 samples from China being included in the study. Results show that service quality, customer trust, and cultural differences positively affect customer satisfaction in the context of Pakistan and China. Results also reveal that service quality and customer trust have a positive effect on customer retention behavior in China, but customer trust has an insignificant impact on customer retention behavior in Pakistan. Analysis specifies that customer satisfaction positively mediated the relationship between service quality, customer trust, cultural differences, and customer retention behavior in Pakistan and China. More importantly, financial technology moderated the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer retention behavior, but it was insignificant in the context of China and Pakistan. The study seeks to provide significant insights for strategic decision-making and improve customer relationship management techniques in the dynamic field of financial services by including mediating and moderating elements.