Customers` Service Skills and Customers Loyalty: Evidence from Selected Deposit Money Banks

The study examines the impact of customers' service skills on deposit money banks' customer loyalty in the Abeokuta metropolis, Ogun State, Nigeria. The study specifically examines the effect of problem-solving, verbal and non-verbal communication skills on customers' loyalty. A survey research design was adopted for the study with an infinite population from three leading deposit money banks. A sample size of 384 was determined using Cochran's (1977) sample size formula, and the convenient sampling technique was used to select 128 respondents from the designated banks. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from the respondents, which was analysed using descriptive statistics and Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modelling (CB-SEM). The result revealed that problem-solving skills and verbal communication skills had a significant effect on customer loyalty. Non-verbal communication skills had an insignificant effect on customer loyalty. The study concluded that customer service skills significantly influenced banks' customer loyalty. It was recommended that the banks' management intensify effort towards building customers' trust, train staff on how to deal with different customer types and ensure they are committed to doing whatever it takes to satisfy customers.