Determinants of customer loyalty in Islamic banking: the role of religiosity

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the moderation effects of religiosity in the relationship between service quality (SQ), customer satisfaction (CS), relationship quality (RQ) and Islamic banking (IB) loyalty in a non-Islamic country. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative approach and a cross-sectional research design. The data was collected by a closed-ended questionnaire from a systematic sample of 267 customers of full-fledged Islamic banks in Tanzania. Structural equation modeling and regression analysis techniques were used to analyze the data. Findings Results indicate that religiosity is a significant (p < 0.05) moderator of the relationship between SQ and loyalty (β = 0.176), and between CS and loyalty (β = 0.263). However, religiosity sharpens the impact of CS on loyalty (β increases from 0.170 to 0.263, p < 0.05) and does not sharpen the impact of SQ on loyalty (β decreases from 0.338 to 0.176, p < 0.05). The results further indicate that religiosity is not a significant moderator (p > 0.05) in the link between RQ and loyalty (β = −0.112). Research limitations/implications This study used only full-fledged Islamic banks in Tanzania. Therefore, future research could be undertaken by including conventional banks that have introduced an IB window. Practical implications To build and maintain a loyal customer base, Islamic banks should take advantage of religiosity by providing a wide range of Sharia-based products and services that truly distinguish them from conventional banks. Accordingly, policymakers should establish an appropriate legal framework to enable Islamic banks to leverage religiosity to sharpen the impact of CS on loyalty and hence maintain loyalty in non-Islamic countries like Tanzania. Originality/value This study proposes and validates the theoretical model of loyalty in IB by showing the role of religiosity as a moderator in a non-Islamic country. This knowledge strengthens the overall understanding of loyalty in IB. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine the moderation effects of religiosity in the link between RQ and loyalty, and thus between SQ, CS, RQ and loyalty in a single study.