Samarinda – Service quality plays the most significant role in encouraging customers to save their money at a bank, according to a recent study conducted by Theresia Imaculata, Syarifah Hudayah, and Dwi Martiyanti from Mulawarman University. Published in 2026 in the International Journal of Scientific Multidisciplinary Research (IJSMR), the study reveals that excellent customer service and attractive banking products significantly influence saving decisions, while promotional activities alone do not have a meaningful impact. The findings provide valuable insights for banking institutions seeking to strengthen customer loyalty and remain competitive in the rapidly evolving financial industry.
The banking industry has become increasingly competitive due to digital transformation, technological innovation, and changing customer expectations. Modern customers expect more than just secure savings accounts; they seek fast, reliable, and personalized financial services that provide convenience and build long-term trust. As a result, banks are under constant pressure to improve their products, enhance service quality, and develop effective marketing strategies that can attract and retain customers.
This challenge is also experienced by PT Bank Sinarmas Samarinda Branch Office. Although the bank offers various savings products and financial services, the number of funding customers fluctuated between 2022 and 2025. Internal records show that the number of customers increased from 300 in 2022 to 363 in 2024 before declining to 298 in 2025. These changes indicate that customers carefully evaluate multiple factors before deciding where to save their money, including product benefits, promotional effectiveness, and overall banking experience.
To better understand these factors, the researchers conducted a quantitative survey involving 100 customers of PT Bank Sinarmas Samarinda Branch Office. Respondents were selected using purposive sampling, and data were collected through structured questionnaires. The researchers analyzed the information using multiple linear regression with IBM SPSS Statistics to examine the effects of product quality, promotion, and service quality on customers' saving decisions.
The results clearly demonstrate that service quality is the strongest factor influencing customers' decisions to save. The regression coefficient for service quality reached 0.472, significantly higher than the coefficient for product quality at 0.268, while promotion recorded only 0.045 and was not statistically significant. These findings suggest that customers value professional service, prompt responses, employee competence, reliability, and effective problem-solving more than promotional campaigns when choosing a bank.
Product quality also showed a positive and significant influence on saving decisions. Customers tend to choose banking products that provide security, convenience, useful features, and financial benefits that meet their personal needs. Innovative savings products with practical features and competitive advantages encourage customers to maintain long-term relationships with their banks.
In contrast, promotional activities were found to have no significant influence on customers' saving decisions. Although promotions remain an important component of banking marketing strategies, the study suggests that customers prioritize their actual service experience over advertisements or promotional offers. Attractive promotions alone are insufficient to persuade customers if they are not supported by excellent service quality and valuable banking products.
Overall, the three independent variables jointly have a significant effect on customers' saving decisions. The study reports an Adjusted R² value of 48.7%, indicating that nearly half of customers' saving decisions can be explained by product quality, promotion, and service quality. The remaining 51.3% is influenced by other factors outside the scope of the research, such as customer trust, corporate image, digital banking services, security, and customer loyalty.
The respondent profile also provides useful insights into the characteristics of the bank's customers. Most respondents were female (57%), aged 41–50 years, held a bachelor's degree, worked as entrepreneurs, and had been customers for one to three years. These characteristics indicate that respondents had sufficient experience using the bank's products and services, enabling them to provide reliable evaluations regarding the quality of banking services.
According to Theresia Imaculata and the research team from Mulawarman University, the findings emphasize that banks should not rely solely on promotional activities to attract customers. Instead, banking institutions should focus on delivering professional, responsive, and customer-oriented services while continuously improving product innovation. Building trust through excellent service is considered a more sustainable strategy for maintaining long-term customer relationships than depending primarily on marketing campaigns.
The study offers important implications for the banking industry. As financial services become increasingly digital and competitive, banks should invest in employee training, service excellence, digital banking innovation, and customer relationship management. These improvements not only enhance customer satisfaction but also strengthen customer loyalty and encourage more people to save. For consumers, the findings suggest that choosing a bank should involve evaluating service quality, product reliability, transaction security, and long-term benefits rather than focusing only on promotional offers. By prioritizing these aspects, both banks and customers can build stronger and more sustainable financial relationships.
Author Profile
Research Source
Article Title: The Effect of Product, Promotion, and Service Quality on Customers' Saving Decisions at PT Bank Sinarmas Samarinda Branch Office
Journal: International Journal of Scientific Multidisciplinary Research (IJSMR), Vol. 4, No. 7, 2026.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/ijsmr.v4i7.92
Journal Link: https://journalijsmr.my.id/index.php/ijsmr
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