Digital transformation in the banking sector in Morocco and its impact on the bank-client relationship

Abstract

Digitalization has played a major role in the evolution of the Moroccan banking sector, which has followed the global trend of digital transformation. This development has caused a significant revolution in financial services and banking practices. Digitalization has become an essential element in the design of strategies aimed at modernizing and adapting organizations, by incorporating digital tools at all levels of their operations. This study examines the impact of digital transformation on the bank-client relationship. It focuses on how digital tools influence customer satisfaction, loyalty, and trust while identifying the key determinants of their adoption. The research employs a quantitative approach, utilizing a structured questionnaire distributed online toward a sample. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), enabling the evaluation of relationships between adoption determinants, such as perceived ease of use and perceived utility, and their effects on customer behavior. The results of this study show that perceived ease of use and perceived utility significantly impact the adoption of digital banking tools. This adoption improves customer satisfaction and loyalty, although its effect on trust remains limited. Moreover, customer experience acts as a moderator, amplifying the positive effects of adoption on behavioral outcomes. This study highlights the critical role of digitalization in the banking sector while identifying challenges related to building trust between banks and clients.

Keywords: Digitalization- Banking-Client-Trust-Loyalty - Adoption of digital tools -Customer experience.

Classification JEL: G21

Paper type: Empirical research