Electronic Banking Strategies and Their Impact on Customers’ Satisfaction: Empirical Evidence from Palestine

Digital banking could be a new era for banks in Palestine. Electronic banking services have become an essential part of the banking services in most of the banks in Palestine, along with the traditional banking represented by the physical branches. Recently, more banks in Palestine have shifted towards Electronic Banking services by utilizing the advancement in the Information and Telecommunication technology thereby enhancing the customer experience and satisfaction, and increasing the efficiency of the banking services, since electronic banking is available 24/7, with no restrictions on working hours. This study examines the correlation between electronic banking services in Palestine and customer satisfaction. The main question is: “What is the impact of the electronic banking strategies on customers’ satisfaction within the banking sector in Palestine?” The methodology used to tackle this question is based on two major components: a) survey design targeting 347 banks’ customers in 8 banks in Palestine, b) Direct interviews with the Top management of two major banks in Palestine (Arab Bank and Bank of Palestine) on the bank's future strategies towards Electronic banking. With the introduction of the Third generation of wireless internet (3G) service in Palestine, the internet has become readily available and accessible, at any time. Along with the availability of traditional wireless network in the bank itself, the banking systems in Palestine are moving quickly toward digitalization. This study finds several interesting findings, one of these findings is the significant positive correlation between electronic banking strategies and customer satisfaction using these services. Thus, the study null hypothesis was rejected and the alternative hypothesis was accepted. This finding will be guiding the banks in Palestine to build strategies focusing on electronic banking services to achieve one of their top objectives by attracting and retaining their customers for the long-term.