Algerian Islamic Banks: The Role of Relationships Marketing Tactics and Customer Loyalty

Due to the fierce competitive environment in the banking industry, several service providers implement marketing tactics to compete in order to achieve customer loyalty. Particularly, Islamic banks around the world are struggled to compete against conventional in terms of marketing activities development and gaining customer loyalty. Relationship marketing tactics such as price, service quality, communication, customization and reputation considered as the tools that marketers can use to enhance trust and commitment and subsequently customer loyalty. This study investigates the impact of relationship marketing tactics, trust and commitment on customer loyalty in Algerian Islamic banks. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires delivered to 308 customers of two leading Islamic banks in Algeria. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling through Smart PLS. The results found that only communication and customization are related to trust, and reputation positively related to commitment. Communication and service quality significantly predicted customer loyalty. In addition, the results provided a substantial support that trust and commitment acts partially as the mediators on the relationship between relationship marketing tactics and customer loyalty. Findings also have contributed to new knowledge of evaluating a model of relationship marketing tactics with the role of trust and commitment on loyalty. Finally, it would be useful to examine more variables; future research can include different tactics such as reciprocity, tangible rewards, direct contact, value proposition, and customer satisfaction as well.