A relationship marketing perspective on delight, its antecedents and outcomes in a banking context

Purpose: This study aims to explore the influence of surprise and delight on the loyalty intentions of retail banking customers in an emerging market context. This study also considers the moderating effect of trust on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach: Using convenience and purposive sampling methods, data collection was secured from 350 customers in the retail banking industry who are delighted with their banks. Findings: This study found that for delightful experiences to occur, customers need to be surprised and see value in the product/service offered by the retail bank, coupled with the expertise of employees in delivering the service. Research limitations/implications: The sample’s demographic profile was mostly skewed towards the younger generation (individuals 20–39 years of ages), meaning the results could be biased towards this group. Practical implications: Retail banks need to create delightful experiences, as they are more memorable and leave a permanent mark in customers’ minds. Originality/value: Limited studies have explored the relationship between delight, its antecedents and outcomes in a developing African market context, such as Botswana, hence the contribution of this study to literature.