Assessing Service Attitude: Service Quality Measures Taken by Islamic Banks in Pakistan

Abstract

In the past few years there has been an enormous change in the perception of owning customers for life by the local and multinational companies in Pakistan. This could be possible when foreign companies entered into Pakistani market especially in the banking sector. Quality Customer Services is considered most important tool to have positive image in the mind of customers and to get positioned in their hearts by owning their greater concerns beyond their expectations. The purpose of this study was to assess service attitude and service quality measures of Islamic Banks in Pakistan. Population of the study is all five Islamic Banks listed with State Bank of Pakistan (2012). Total 250 customers, 100 Management Trainee Officers and 25 Branch Managers constituted the sample using convenience sampling technique and an adapted SERVQUAL instrument of service quality containing five dimensions of service quality; tangibles; reliability; assurance; responsiveness and empathy was used to assess the service quality measures which was found reliable at 0.86 Cronbach's alpha. Mean scores and One-way ANOVA were used for significance and variance analysis. Results revealed that Islamic banks managers showed greater satisfaction about service quality followed by MTOs but customers were not satisfied with the service quality of Islamic banks and significance difference of opinion found among customers, management trainee officers and managers which showed true image of service attitude. Islamic Banks customer service measures needs urgent improvement in order to ultimate survival in the banking sector.