EVALUATION OF ELECTRONIC BANKING OPERATIONS AND BANK CUSTOMER SERVICES IN FCMB, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The relationship created by e-banking may appear complex especially where most bank customer appear not to have understood the new relationship. Lack of understanding of the contractual relationship may adversely affect e-banking relationship between the bank and her customer. Therefore, the study is an evaluation of electronic banking operations and bank customer services in FCMB, Ondo State, Nigeria. Using survey research design, the study sought for the opinion of 108 members of staff from the legal, information technology, sales, marketing and customer service departments in the six (6) branches of FCMB in Ondo State. Data were collected with the aid of questionnaire designed for the purpose. The study used descriptive statistic (tables, frequency and percentage distribution and mean) and inferential statistic (Regression analysis) for the analysis of the data collected. The study revealed that ATM and debit card services (2.92), mobile banking (2.92) and SMS banking (2.91) are the most used electronic channels. Although all the channels are highly ranked, fund transfer (2.81), ATM and debit card services (2.81), and mobile banking (2.79) have the highest acceptability level. On further analysis, the study showed that the most dominant area of contractual relation before the advent of electronic banking is the fact that bank gives customers terms and conditions on which services are provided (4.11). On the introduction of electronic banking, it was reported that bank that have introduced e-banking have created website and offer internet banking to its customers in addition to their physical offices (4.21); which is a veritable means of offering these services. The highest ranked right of bank in the study area is charging of reasonable interest on credit facilities (4.15) for the purpose serving the customers with quality products and services. A number of duties are also to be performed by banks of which the protection of customers’ data privacy is rated highest (4.49). Conclusively, it was found that electronic banking significantly (F (1, 83) = 36.38; p (.000) < .05) influence bank-customer relationship positively in the study area by making it easy for customers to timely access their accounts, improving customers’ satisfaction to service offered by banks and improving bank profit. It was suggested that banks should open awareness Centre for their customers to orientate them on the implication of terms and conditions before customers use any of the services. This is for the purpose of reducing the number of disputes arising from using e-banking services.