QUALITY OF MORTGAGE CREDIT IN POLISH BANKS: THE ROLE OF DIGITALISATION

Purpose: This paper analyses the quality of customer service for mortgages at Polish banks between 2022-2024, with a particular focus on the growing role of digitisation in the credit process.The aim is to assess service standards and identify areas for improvement in both traditional and digital banking channels.Design/methodology/approach: The study was conducted as part of the 'Institution of the Year' project, which evaluates retail banking service standards.The mystery shopping method was employed to objectively assess customer service quality in both physical bank branches and remote channels, such as helplines and video calls.Findings: The research findings indicate that mortgage customer service remains a key competitive factor for banks.Digital solutions are playing an increasingly important role, transforming how customers obtain information and submit mortgage applications.Among the banks studied, ING Bank lski demonstrated the highest service quality in physical branches, whereas VeloBank provided the best online service.However, significant differences in service standards were identified across banks, highlighting the need for further improvements, particularly in waiting times, advisor expertise, and the usability of digital tools. Research limitations/implications:The study was limited to Polish banks and may not be fully generalisable to other markets.Future research could expand the scope to include international comparisons or analyse the long-term impact of digital transformation on mortgage services.Practical implications: The findings underscore the need for banks to enhance both their in-person and digital service offerings to meet evolving customer expectations.Improving the intuitiveness of digital tools and reducing service wait times could contribute to greater customer satisfaction and competitive advantage.Social implications: Enhancing digital mortgage services can improve financial accessibility and convenience for customers.Moreover, better service standards in banking could lead to increased consumer trust and confidence in financial institutions.Originality/value: This study provides a current assessment of mortgage service quality in Poland, offering insights for banks seeking to optimise their customer experience.The findings are relevant to banking professionals, policymakers, and researchers interested in the intersection of digital transformation and financial services.Article is the first publication in Poland regarding the quality of service for mortgage customers in digital channels.