Digital Banking Support Platforms and Customer Switching Behavior: Implications for Customer Education and Retention

Abstract

Digital banking support platforms have become an integral component of customer relationship management, enabling banks to deliver timely assistance, resolve service issues, and enhance customer experiences through technology-enabled channels. Understanding the factors that influence customers decisions to remain with or switch from these platforms is essential for improving customer retention in an increasingly competitive banking environment. Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework, this study examines how self-efficacy, perceived relative advantage, and perceived complexity influence customers switching intentions, and how these intentions subsequently affect actual switching behavior. Data were collected through structured questionnaires using purposive sampling from bank customers in Karnataka, resulting in 387 valid responses. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the relationships among the study constructs. The findings reveal that perceived complexity in using existing bank support platforms and the perceived relative advantage of competing platforms significantly influence customers switching intentions, which subsequently drive actual switching behavior. However, self-efficacy did not exhibit a significant direct influence on switching intentions. The results demonstrate that customers perceptions of digital support platforms play a pivotal role in shaping switching decisions within the banking sector. From a managerial perspective, the findings suggest that banks should complement technological improvements with structured customer education initiatives that simplify digital interactions, reduce perceived complexity, improve awareness of available support services, and strengthen long-term customer retention. The study contributes to the literature by extending the application of the Stimulus–Organism–Response framework to digital banking support platforms and by highlighting the importance of customer education as a strategic implication for enhancing digital service experiences and reducing customer switching.