Impact of e-banking on operational performance and service quality of banking sector in India

Abstract

With the development of information technology, the world has become a global village and it has brought a revolution in the banking industry. The banks appear to be on fast track for IT based products and services. Bank customers are becoming very demanding and it is the extensive use of technology that enables banks to satisfy adequately the requirement of customers. Technology has become the fuel for rapid change. IT is no longer considered as mere transaction processing or confined to management information system. The wind of liberalization, globalization, and privatization has opened new vistas in the banking industry in the generation of an intensely competitive environment. The post-liberalized banking industry in India has been witnessing a discernible shift from the sellers’ to the buyers’ market. Further the banking sector reforms and introduction of e-banking has made very structural changes in service quality, managerial decisions, operational performance, profitability and productivity of the banks. E-banking is one of the emerging trends in the Indian banking and is playing a unique role in strengthening the banking sector and improving service quality. The banking sector in India has introduced E- banking in a phased manner. Foreign banks are the pioneers in e-banking, private banks introduced it in a big way and public sector banks are in the process of transformation from traditional banking to Ebanking. E-banking impinges on operations of banking in a number of different ways. It has enabled the banks to handle the payments electronically and inter-bank settlement faster and in large volumes. There is increase in customer satisfaction level, reduction in cost of banking operations, increased productivity and as such there is a tremendous scope for Indian banks to enlarge their E-banking services which could enhance their competitiveness. Further, new technology has rapidly altered the traditional ways of doing banking business. Customers can view the accounts, get account statements, transfer funds, purchase drafts by just making a few key punches. Availability of ATMs and plastic cards, EFT, electronic clearing services, internet banking, mobile banking and phone banking; to a large extent avoid customers going to branch premises and has provided a wider range of services to the customers.