Marketing of bank services to the Saudi consumer (Ph.D Thesis)

Increasing levels of competition have forced banks to take greater interest in consumer banking and to pursue more aggressive marketing techniques to better promote their services. Consumer banks should strive to provide retail bank services that best serve customers' needs. Bankers need better methods to evaluate and understand the consumers' market and needs. Banks need to recognize the attitudes that affect consumers' evaluation of bank services. This thesis evaluates marketing techniques incorporated by Saudi banks, as well as consumers' attitudes towards the banks. Issues raised include: marketing strategies, usage levels of and satisfaction with bank services, and attitudes toward banks and bank interest as well as opinions of Islamic banking. While bankers understand marketing concepts and practices, consumers show reluctance and strong negative attitudes toward dealing with these banks due to perceived religious barriers.