Customer delight and switching behaviour in Tanzanian online banking: the mediating role of switching intentions

This study aimed to investigate the contribution of customer delight to customer switching behaviour and the mediating role of switching intentions in this relationship within the context of online banking services. An explanatory research design was employed, utilising survey data from 391 qualified online banking customers in Tanzania. Self-administered questionnaires were used, with respondents selected through a convenience sampling method. Data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling in Smart-PLS version 4.0, with a 95% bias-corrected confidence interval bootstrapping estimation applied for mediation analysis. The findings reveal a significant negative influence of customer delight on switching behaviour, as well as the partial mediation of switching intentions in the relationship between customer delight and switching behaviour. This study enhances the understanding of the sequential nature of consumer switching behaviour among online banking customers. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of fostering affective delight among banking customers, which is crucial in mitigating the adverse effects of switching behaviour and promoting continued usage and future loyalty to the bank. Unlike previous studies that predominantly focus on the cognitive route to delight, this study is among the few that analyse the affective route to delight, employing a comprehensive approach to examine the switching behaviour of online banking customers, from intentions to actual behaviour.