Strengthening the satisfaction–loyalty link: a study of mediating factors in the retail banking industry of South Africa

Purpose The study aims to explore how selected factors influence customer’s satisfaction in a business-to-consumer context. Furthermore, it also investigates the mediating role of affective and calculative commitment on the satisfaction–loyalty link. Design/methodology/approach Using quota sampling methods, data was collected from 300 retail banking customers in an emergent market setting through self-administered questionnaires. In addition, the measurement and structural models were assessed. Findings The study established that satisfaction (through selective precursors) has a positive and significant influence on the future loyalty intentions of retail banking customers in an emerging market. Also, both affective and calculative commitment was found to partially mediate the satisfaction–loyalty relationship in a retail banking setting. Research limitations/implications The tested model validates the hypothesized relationships between employee attitude and service performance, employee personality traits, perceived value and satisfaction of retail banking customers in South Africa as an emergent market. It also confirms the positive influence of satisfaction on loyalty and the partial mediation of affective and calculative commitment on the satisfaction–loyalty link. Practical implications The findings of the study can guide retail banks in developing enhanced knowledge of how employee attitude and service performance, employee personality traits and perceived value can nurture satisfaction, ultimately strengthening the future loyalty intention of customers. It furthermore informs the management of retail banks of the directional importance of affective commitment and calculative commitment in strengthening the satisfaction–loyalty link. Originality/value Limited studies have investigated the relationship between satisfaction, its precursors and outcomes in a developing African market context, such as South Africa. Also, few studies have examined how commitment (affective and calculative) impacts the satisfaction–loyalty link from an emerging market perspective in Africa.