The relationship of brand attachment and

mobile banking service quality with positive

word-of-mouth
Lova Rajaobelina, Sandrine Prom Tep, Manon Arcand and Line Ricard
Department of Marketing, The Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Canada

Abstract
Purpose – This study aims to examine the relationships between brand attachment, mobile service quality (MSQ), and positive word-of-mouth
(WOM) for mobile banking applications (m-banking apps).
Design/methodology/approach – An online survey was conducted among 759 Canadian consumers who had used m-banking apps in the
previous six months. To test the research hypotheses, a causal model using structural equation modeling was developed.
Findings – The results reveal that, in the m-banking context, brand attachment is associated with three MSQ dimensions – value-added features,
security/privacy and interactivity – and positive WOM, with the usability dimension replacing interactivity in this case. Brand attachment is also
associated with positive WOM.
Practical implications – To promote WOM, mobile banking managers should foster brand attachment and improve MSQ, mainly in terms of value-
added features.
Originality/value – This is the first study to examine the relationships between brand attachment, mobile service quality and WOM in the
context of m-banking apps. It also highlights the prominent role of value-added features available on m-banking apps to persuade
customers.
Keywords Brand attachment, Mobile service quality (MSQ), Word of mouth (WOM), Mobile banking (m-banking) apps
Paper type Research paper

Introduction there is a dearth of research that examines the effects of

In a highly competitive mobile market where countless
new applications are being introduced daily, marketers
should find ways to maximize consumer loyalty and
positive word-of-mouth (WOM) in relation to mobile
applications (apps) (Kim et al., 2016). This challenge is
particularly important in the banking sector given the high
adoption rate of mobile banking (m-banking) apps
(Shankar et al., 2020). For example, in the USA, the
adoption rate is predicted to increase from 56.2% of the
population in 2020 to 63.3% in 2024 (eMarketer, 2020).
As banking applications are often tied to financial
institutions, consumers may have no other choice but to
use them to avoid incurring switching costs (Lee et al.,
2001), resulting in false loyalty. In this context, WOM
simply becomes a strategic post-adoption behavior to be
studied, as less of this type of user-generated content is
encountered in the banking sector in comparison with
other industries (Trabelsi-Zoghlami et al., 2018).
In a mobile service context, some studies have
highlighted factors influencing WOM such as satisfaction
and trust (Suariedewi and Suprapti, 2020). Nevertheless,
mobile app characteristics such as service quality, on post-
adoption behavior such as WOM (Hatzithomas et al.,
2018). Mobile service quality (MSQ) remains an essential
factor of differentiation (Wang et al., 2019) and ensures the
brand’s long-term success (Huang et al., 2015). An
exploratory study (through interviews), carried out in the
context of m-banking by Jun and Palacios (2016),
underlines the importance of MSQ dimensions related to
the quality of the application (e.g. design) and the service
(e.g. interactivity). Their study also highlights the key role
of a dimension that is poorly integrated into the literature –
value-added services – which has been taken into account
in this study.
With regard to long-term brand success, previous studies
have pointed to the importance of developing and maintaining
strong relationships with customers (Veloutsou, 2009;
Veloutsou and Moutinho, 2009; Giovanis, 2016). The brand
attachment has been established as a key indicator of
consumer-brand relationship strength (Karjaluoto et al., 2016;
Vredeveld, 2018; Junaid et al., 2019; Aboulnasr and
Tran, 2019). As portable technologies, and smartphones, in

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald The authors wish to thank the Fintech Research Chair AMF-Finance
Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/1061-0421.htm Montreal and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of
Canada (SSHRC) for their financial contributions to this project.

Journal of Product & Brand Management

Received 13 February 2020
30/8 (2021) 1162–1175 Revised 5 August 2020
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421] 10 October 2020
[DOI 10.1108/JPBM-02-2020-2747] Accepted 19 October 2020

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 Mobile banking service quality
Lova Rajaobelina, Prom TepSandrine, Manon Arcand and Line Ricard
particular, are considered intimate technologies that trigger
attachment to apps (Kim et al., 2013), close relationships with
customers can be established through the mobile service
experience (Fritz et al., 2017) and can lead to the emotional
attachment (Levy and Hino, 2016). However, the study of
brand attachment has received little attention in the banking
context, in which consumers tend to show low attachment to
the brand (Levy and Hino, 2016).
Considering the aforementioned gaps in the marketing
literature, this study is the first to examine the relationships
between brand attachment, MSQ (incorporating multiple
dimensions such as value-added features) and positive WOM
in an m-banking context. This study takes into account the
perceptions of banks and financial technology (FinTech)
customers in relation to their m-banking applications, which to
our knowledge, has never been covered so far. It contributes to
the existing knowledge of factors that ensure long-term brand
success in a mobile app context. Indeed, it integrates an
emotional dimension (i.e. brand attachment) in a typical
utilitarian context (banking); thus it differs from the extant
literature, where the success of mobile apps is most often
explained by functional variables such as ease of use pertaining
to the consumer’s cognitive level (Stocchi et al., 2019).
The remainder of this paper is structured as follows. First,
we cover the key relevant literature regarding brand
attachment, positive WOM, MSQ and the relationships
among these concepts. Our methodology is presented in the
ensuing section, followed by a discussion of the results. The
limitations of the study and avenues for future research have
also been addressed.
Literature review and hypotheses
Brand attachment
Brand attachment is an important concept for both marketing
researchers and practitioners alike. In their latest study on
brand relationships, Fetscherin et al. (2019) found that among
the most cited articles on brands since 2010, the first three
(Batra et al., 2012; Park et al., 2010; Malär et al., 2011) discuss
brand attachment or love. Brand attachment is the most
reliable measure of a strong brand (Karjaluoto et al., 2016), and
as such, should be a primary objective for managers concerned
with brand management and customer relationship marketing.
The concept of brand attachment is derived from attachment
theory (Kaufmann et al., 2016), which states that the level of
emotional attachment to an object determines the nature of the
person’s interaction with that object (Thomson et al., 2005;
Hemsley-Brown and Alnawas, 2016). Although attachment
theory is associated with human relationships, consumers may
also assign human characteristics to brands (Aaker, 1997). As a
result, they may have a relationship with brands, just as they do
with people (Levy and Hino, 2016).
Park et al. (2010, p. 2) define brand attachment as the
strength of the connection between the self and the brand. Our
study takes this definition into account, as do several others
(Kaufmann et al., 2016; Aboulnasr and Tran, 2020; Saavedra
Torres et al., 2020). Brand attachment is an important concept
in marketing because it has significant implications in the realm
of consumer perceptions, evaluations and behavior (Japutra
et al., 2014; Aboulnasr and Tran, 2020). It impacts trust,
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commitment and brand equity (Hemsley-Brown and Alnawas,
2016; Vahdat et al., 2020). It also leads to loyalty (Park et al.,
2010; Hemsley-Brown and Alnawas, 2016; Khamitov et al.,
2019; Keller, 2020), willingness to pay a price premium
(Thomson et al., 2005; Grisaffe and Nguyen, 2011; Hemsley-
Brown and Alnawas, 2016) and impulsive buying (Japutra
et al., 2019).
Despite its importance, the concept of brand attachment has
been scarcely studied in a mobile context (Peng et al., 2014;
Yang, 2016; Roy et al., 2017). Yang (2016) showed that
consumer empathy is associated with brand attachment in the
case of branded mobile apps. In addition, Peng et al. (2014)
validated the relationships between brand attachment and
consumers’ intention to use the branded app. Roy et al. (2017)
also established an association between brand attachment and
two key variables (affective commitment and WOM) in India,
along with the impact of the mobile app’s presentation style,
novelty and social connection to brand attachment. Hence, to
the best of our knowledge, no study has as yet linked the
concept of brand attachment to MSQ and WOM within the
context of m-banking apps – a literature gap that this study
seeks to fill.
Mobile service quality
Service quality is the most explored area of research in the field
of service marketing (Shankar et al., 2019). Despite this, MSQ-
related research remains uncommon (Table 1). In all cases,
MSQ has been explored as a multidimensional concept
adapted from E-S-QUAL or perceived service quality (Tan and
Chou, 2008). As Laukkanen and Lauronen (2005) highlight,
many researchers have considered m-commerce as an
extension to or subdivision of e-commerce, while as a matter of
fact, it is a different channel altogether, offering diverse new
opportunities to merchants and marketers alike. For this
reason, most studies that have addressed MSQ are difficult to
generalize, as they measure it according to the specific context
of their mobile service application (i.e. when the content is the
service or when the mobile service is to deliver some products)
and to the offer type (e.g. virtual or physical product) (Huang
et al., 2015). Nevertheless, Huang and colleagues consider two
key elements as the bedrock characterizing what is unique in
the mobile market environment: ubiquity (anytime and
anywhere) and localization (geofencing).
Indeed, measuring m-banking service quality is no less
complex than it is for any other mobile service context. For
example, Shankar et al. (2019) found that SERVQUAL,
SERVPERF and E-S-QUAL are not adequate for measuring
MSQ for financial services. As both the channel and its service
content are superimposed in a digital context, m-banking
service quality applies not only to mobile apps but also to the
service offered by the bank through this highly coveted channel
(Jun and Palacios, 2016; Trabelsi-Zoghlami et al., 2018). As a
result, the most appropriate dimensions for MSQ related to m-
banking – usability, value-added features, security/privacy and
interactivity – were derived from the most relevant literature
applying to MSQ and to our precise context (Table 1). It
should be noted that some fundamental dimensions of MSQ
tend to be grouped into a single dimension, as they cannot be
disentangled and stand at the “core” of the consumer’s mobile
user experience (McLean et al., 2018; Hoehle and
 Table 1 Summary of seminal studiesa related to MSQ
Context MSQ dimensions Other variables Key results
Usability Other dimension
Ease of Security/ Value-added
Sources Usefulness use Content Design privacy Interactivity features
Kaatz (2020) m-commerce X X X X X X X (personalization) N/A Ubiquity, design, fulfilment and security positively
influence the perception of MSQ (shoe retail
industry)
Suariedewi and m-banking apps X X X X X E-trust MSQ positively influences trust which
Suprapti (2020) E-satisfaction subsequently promotes satisfaction and loyalty
E-loyalty (including WOM) Satisfaction and trust positively influence loyalty
Shankar et al. (2019) m-banking apps X X X N/A Among the general models of service quality,
reliability, assurance (security), empathy,
efficiency, fulfillment and privacy are the crucial
dimensions explaining MSQ in the banking sector
Wang et al. (2019) mobile X X X Inertia Environment quality and interaction quality
communication Satisfaction positively influence satisfaction
apps/service apps Continuance intention Satisfaction positively influences inertia and
continuance intention
Mobile banking service quality

Inertia positively influences continuance intention

Al-Hubaishi et al. m-government X X X X X (functional and emotional Satisfaction MSQ positively influences satisfaction
(2018) benefits)
Fauzi (2018) m-transportation X X X X X Customer satisfaction MSQ positively influences satisfaction, which
services Repurchase intention subsequently influences repurchase intention
Trabelsi-Zoghlami m-banking apps X X X X X e-trust Security/privacy, reliability and ease of use (MSQ)
Lova Rajaobelina, Prom TepSandrine, Manon Arcand and Line Ricard

et al. (2018) e-satisfaction positively influence e-trust

e-loyalty e-trust positively influences e-satisfaction
e-WOM e-satisfaction and e-trust positively influence e-
loyalty, which subsequently influences e-WOM

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Puriwat and m-banking X X X X X (sociality, enjoyment) Intention to adopt mobile MSQ positively influences the intention to adopt
Tripopsakul (2017) banking m-banking
Arcand et al. (2017) m-banking X X X X X (sociality, enjoyment) Commitment Trust is a powerful determinant of satisfaction
Trust and commitment
Satisfaction Utilitarian dimensions of MSQ (security/privacy
and practicality) influence trust
Hedonic dimensions of MSQ (sociality and
enjoyment) influence satisfaction and
commitment
Jun and Palacios m-banking X X X X X X X (diverse mobile application Satisfaction MSQ influences satisfaction
(2016) service features)
Nisha et al. (2016) m-health X X X X X X (personalization) Social influence Performance expectancy (usefulness), effort
Facilitating conditions expectancy (easefulness), social influence and
Health-care knowledge facilitating conditions influence behavioral
Behavioral intention intention, which subsequently influences usage
Usage Behavior behavior
Huang et al. (2015) m-commerce X X X N/A The M-S-QUAL construction concluded with five
factors (contact, responsiveness, fulfillment,
privacy and efficiency) for the supporting services
in the process of virtual product shopping and
four factors (the same factors excluding privacy)
for the supporting services in the process of
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physical product shopping

Journal of Product & Brand Management

(continued)
 Table 1
Mobile banking service quality

Context MSQ dimensions Other variables Key results

Usability Other dimension
Ease of Security/ Value-added
Sources Usefulness use Content Design privacy Interactivity features
Sagib and Zapan m-banking X X X Satisfaction MSQ positively influences satisfaction and
(2014) Retention retention. Reliability and efficiency influence
retention
Lova Rajaobelina, Prom TepSandrine, Manon Arcand and Line Ricard

Satisfaction significantly influences retention

(loyalty)
Özer et al. (2013) mobile services X X X X (entertainment services) Satisfaction MSQ positively influences satisfaction
mobile brokerage X X X N/A All three levels of the proposed hierarchical

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Lu et al. (2009)
service structure where a customer’s perceived MSQ
includes primary dimensions of interaction,
outcome and environment qualities
Tan and Chou (2008) mobile information X X X X (personalization) Perceived technology MSQ significantly influences perceived
and entertainment compatibility playfulness, but indirectly through perceived
services Perceived playfulness technology compatibility (mediating effect)
Perceived technology compatibility influences
perceived playfulness
Total 14 15 7 10 12 8 8

Note: aA search was carried out using the keywords “mobile/m-” and “service quality” in the title field
Volume 30 · Number 8 · 2021 · 1162–1175
Journal of Product & Brand Management
 Mobile banking service quality
Lova Rajaobelina, Prom TepSandrine, Manon Arcand and Line Ricard
Venkatesh, 2015). This is why the first four dimensions of
Table 1 – usefulness, ease of use, content and design – will be
grouped together to form the “usability” construct, following
Hoehle and Venkatesh (2015), who have developed a
measurement scale for usability in a mobile application context.
Table 1 shows that research related to MSQ applies to
different sectors, but is mostly related to services. Furthermore,
MSQ dimensions are mainly associated with satisfaction and to
a lesser extent, to loyalty or intention to continue and trust.
Very few MSQ-related empirical studies have considered
WOM (Trabelsi-Zoghlami et al., 2018) and to our knowledge,
none have included brand attachment.
In the present study, we have relied on mobile service as a
unique digital channel and have included “value-added
features” to the more traditional dimensions of electronic
service quality as it reflects a relevant conceptualization of
MSQ applied to the m-banking context. A mobile service
channel offers value-added features for banks and customers
(e.g. personalized location-based content, proactive
information delivered to consumers such as alerts)
(Laukkanen, 2007). In the context of this study, as the app is
related to finance management, we consider both the
information quality (e.g. informational or promotional
features) and the service itself (e.g. management features such
as account information, transfer options and check deposits) as
key value-added features.
Brand attachment and mobile service quality
Although service quality in a traditional context (store and staff
behavior) has been shown to have an impact on brand
attachment (Hemsley-Brown and Alnawas, 2016; Levy and
Hino, 2016), no study has examined this association in a
mobile service context. It is all the more interesting to examine
this link in a utilitarian context such as banking to validate the
importance of relying on MSQ. MSQ has mostly been
associated with trust, satisfaction and intentions in m-banking
(Suariedewi and Suprapti, 2020; Trabelsi-Zoghlami et al.,
2018). We shall now highlight the links between each
dimension of MSQ and brand attachment.
The perceived ease of use (usability) of a mobile application
influences a customer’s experience (McLean and Wilson,
2016). McLean (2018) finds that mobile application usability
influences brand engagement, which is strongly correlated with
brand attachment (Kumar and Nayak, 2019).
The qualitative study by Grisaffe and Nguyen (2011) shows
that perceived value had an impact on brand attachment. When
brands help consumers attain self-goals, strong attachments
form (Grisaffe and Nguyen, 2011). In a mobile app context,
this perceived value (value-added features) could be associated
with informational features that provide functional experiences
(e.g. specific information about features or about products or
brands) and offer utilitarian-based incentives through
promotional features (e.g. mobile coupons, other financial
rewards) to users (Kim et al., 2013). These types of mobile app
features have also been shown to improve consumer attitudes
toward the brand (Bellman et al., 2011).
Attachment theory suggests that the development of a sense
of security and emotional attachment to objects are closely
related (Lam and Shankar, 2014). We expect this relationship
to be important for mobile devices, which are characterized by
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Volume 30 · Number 8 · 2021 · 1162–1175
security and privacy concerns, as well as emotional connections.
Indeed, consumers have greater concerns about the security
and privacy risks associated with the adoption or use of
financial services such as m-banking (Shankar et al., 2020). In
addition, customer value perceptions of banking actions differ
between the Internet and mobile banking channels, with safety
being one of the salient dimensions that determine the
differences between the two (Laukkanen, 2007).
Some studies have shown that interactivity leads to a strong
link between consumers and the brand (Ye et al., 2019). When
consumers perceive that they have a certain degree of control
during the communication process (e.g. the mobile app
provides the opportunity to talk back), they tend to believe that
their connection to the brand is exclusive (Ye et al., 2019).
All these arguments allow us to formulate the following
hypothesis:
H1. MSQ (a-Usability, bValue-added features, c-Security/
privacy, d-Interactivity) is positively associated with
brand attachment.
Positive word of mouth
Recognized as the most powerful force shaping consumer
behavior more than 60 years ago (Lang and Hyde, 2013),
WOM has increased its importance as a concern for marketing
managers (Bond et al., 2019; Luo et al., 2019; Iyer and Griffin,
2020) with the preponderance of digital channels and
electronic WOM. WOM (including eWOM) can be more
effective at influencing consumers’ decision processes than
traditional marketing communication channels (Luo et al.,
2019).
Jalilvand et al. (2017) define WOM as informal
communication about products and services. It not only
involves communication about the firm’s products or services
but also about the brand or firm itself (Van Tonder et al.,
2018). WOM can be positive or negative (Lim and Chung,
2011; Shankar et al., 2020), as evaluations of products or
services are consumer-generated (Lim and Chung, 2011). In
the consumer behavior literature, WOM has been proven to
influence the consumer’s purchasing decision-making process
(Augusto and Torres, 2018) and sales (Godes and Mayzlin,
2004).
Aligned with some studies, this research focuses on positive
WOM (Shankar et al., 2020; Van Tonder et al., 2018). As the
importance of WOM is greater in the service context due to its
inherent intangibility and experiential nature (De Matos and
Rossi, 2008), it certainly applies to m-banking. Research
conducted in 2014 reveals that about 52% of consumers learn
about new apps through friends and acquaintances (Graphs.
net, 2014).
Mobile service quality and positive word of mouth
Customers’ perception of service quality is a strong predictor of
key behavioral responses such as WOM (De Matos and Rossi,
2008). However, the link between several dimensions of service
quality in a comprehensive model and positive WOM has never
been investigated in a mobile context. The next paragraphs
highlight the links between each dimension of MSQ and
positive WOM.
 Mobile banking service quality
Lova Rajaobelina, Prom TepSandrine, Manon Arcand and Line Ricard
Kim et al. (2013) indicated that the usefulness of mobile apps
(treated as one aspect of its usability) helps users achieve goals
and task performance, and therefore increases their usage. In
addition, Kim et al. (2016) found that the usefulness of mobile
apps generates positive WOM. Kuo et al. (2009) stated that any
value-added feature has a direct effect on repurchase intention
and WOM. Value theory proposes that mobile service adoption
behavior is influenced by a variety of value perceptions (Wang
et al., 2013). In m-banking, there exists a correlation between
the perception of security/privacy and WOM (Trabelsi-
Zoghlami et al., 2018). Hartono et al. (2014) stated that the
ability of companies to protect their users from potential
security threats can be perceived by users as a long-term
benefit. Bl
azquez (2014) has shown that interactive
technologies lead to a more enjoyable shopping experience,
which could result in positive WOM. Although the direct link
between interactivity and WOM has not yet been explored in a
mobile context, interactivity leads to positive consequences. It
has been proven to impact satisfaction by enhancing
communication quality, positive perception (Lowry et al.,
2009) and perceived value (Yang et al., 2018).
All these arguments allow us to formulate the following
hypothesis:
H2. MSQ (a-Usability, b-Value-added features, c-Security/
privacy, d-Interactivity) is positively associated with
WOM.
Brand attachment and positive word of mouth
Brand attachment has been proven to have an impact on several
important variables such as loyalty (Hemsley-Brown and
Alnawas, 2016; Kumar and Nayak, 2019) and WOM (Hung
and Lu, 2018). However, to our knowledge, only a few studies
(Kim et al., 2013; Roy et al., 2017) have considered the link
between brand attachment and WOM in the mobile context,
but none in relation to a definite utilitarian context such as m-
banking with apps used for saving and finance management.
Consumers who feel affectionate and passionate toward a
brand engage in positive WOM (Hemsley-Brown and Alnawas,
2016; Japutra et al., 2014). Consumers with strong brand
attachments give the brand preferential treatment and engage
in behaviors that ensure renewed brand-consumer
relationships through positive WOM (Hung and Lu, 2018).
The third hypothesis can, therefore, be formulated as
follows:
H3. Brand attachment is positively associated with WOM.
Figure 1 presents the conceptual framework and hypotheses.
Methodology
The following section details the sample and data collection
procedures, along with the measurement scales used in this
study.
Sample, procedures and data collection
To verify the hypotheses, an online survey was used. It is a
time-efficient and flexible method for respondents (Chang and
Vowles, 2013), and it eliminates concerns about interviewer
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Volume 30 · Number 8 · 2021 · 1162–1175
Figure 1 The conceptual model
bias and geographic boundaries. It appeared particularly well-
suited to both the objectives of this study and the target
population (m-banking consumers). Quality control
procedures were performed (for e.g. If you read this question,
please answer 2), as suggested by Sparrow (2007). The
questionnaire was pre-tested among randomly selected
members of AskingCanadians, one of Canada’s leading
consumer research panels, run by a well-known Canadian
consulting firm called Delvinia. The time required to complete
the questionnaire was approximately 15 min. In total, 759
respondents from the panel used for the pretest participated in
the main study. All respondents had used a mobile application
related to financial management in the past six months.
Respondents were asked to refer to the one they used the most.
Table 2 provides details on the characteristics of the sample.
Respondents reported using their mobile saving app on average
10.4 times a month. While 81.8% used a mobile application
related to their financial institution, 18.2% used an app
provided by a FinTech firm (for e.g. Mint, Mylo, Quicken).
Finally, 81% of the sample consulted the app on a smartphone
and 19% on a tablet, which is representative of m-banking user
habits (eMarketer, 2019).
Measures
To maximize the content validity of the measures, scales
developed by other marketing scholars were adapted to the
context of this study. The scales that have already been used in
a mobile service context were used whenever possible; all were
seven-point Likert-type scales. Usability was measured using
items from Hoehle and Venkatesh (2015); interactivity, from
Labrecque (2014); and security/privacy, from Arcand et al.
(2017). While positive WOM was adapted from Kim et al.
(2016), the brand attachment was measured using the scale in
Park et al. (2010). Finally, given the absence of any specific
scale for measuring value-added features on mobile devices, the
construct was evaluated by considering the enjoyment of
various mobile service features (information, promotion,
management) as conceptualized by Laukkanen and
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Table 2 Sample characteristics (n = 759) by Hu and Bentler (1999). Table 5 summarizes the results for
the hypotheses, presents the fit indices and the direct and
Category (n) (%)
indirect associations (via brand attachment). The results show
Gender that security/privacy ( g = 0.24, p < 0.01) and interactivity ( g =
Male 434 57.2 0.22, p < 0.05) are positively associated with brand
Female 325 42.8 attachment, supporting H1c and H1d. As predicted, a positive
Age perception of value-added mobile features is significantly and
18–24 48 6.3 positively associated with brand attachment, even though
25–34 154 20.3 marginally ( g = 0.22, p < 0.10), supporting H1b. However, the
35–44 133 17.5 association between usability and brand attachment is not
45–54 158 20.8 significant (p > 0.10), and therefore does not support H1a. H2
55–64 167 22.1 predicts a positive association between the dimensions of MSQ
65 or more 99 13.0 and WOM. Accordingly, positive evaluations of usability ( g =
Education 0.25, p < 0.01), value-added features ( g = 0.27, p < 0.05) and
Less than college 79 10.4 security/privacy ( g = 0.16, p < 0.01) are significantly associated
College 186 24.5 with positive WOM, supporting H2a, H2b and H2c. However,
University – certificate 76 10.0 no empirical support (p > 0.10) was found for a direct
University – bachelor and up 418 55.1 relationship between interactivity and positive WOM, refuting
H2d. Interactivity is only indirectly associated with WOM
Main device used to access the app
through brand attachment. The mediating role of brand
Smartphone 614 80.9
attachment in the model was assessed using the approach
Tablet 145 19.1
developed by Sobel (1982), incorporated into EQS. We find
Brand type that security/privacy (0.039, p < 0.01) and interactivity (0.037,
Financial institution 621 81.8 p < 0.05) are indirectly associated with positive WOM through
Fintech 138 18.2 brand attachment. By removing the indirect link to brand
attachment, complementary SEM analyzes still point to a non-
significant direct association between interactivity (p > 0.10)
Lauronen (2005). These measures are presented in Table 3 and positive WOM. Therefore, in this case, brand attachment
along with their factor loadings. does not offer any complete mediation between interactivity
and positive WOM, but only modest partial mediation
Results associations. Finally, brand attachment is significantly and
Psychometric properties of the scales positively associated with WOM ( g = 0.16, p < 0.01), which
Two steps were used to assess the model using EQS 6.3 supports H3. The model explains 27% of the variance in brand
(Bentler, 2006). First, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) attachment and approximately 57% in positive WOM.
was performed to estimate the reliability and validity of the
measures (Table 4). The indices of the measurement model Multigroup analyzes
indicated a good fit with the data ( x 2 = 1,388.18(284), p = To enhance the usefulness of results for financial institutions,
0.000; CFI = 0.964; SRMR = 0.048). According to the multigroup analyzes were performed to investigate the
parameters recommended by Hu and Bentler (1999) for CFI robustness of the model across gender, device and brand type.
(cutoff value of 0.95) and SRMR (cutoff value of 0.08) to Regarding gender, some empirical research supports the
supplement the chi-square tests, the proposed model fits the notion that men and women process information differently
data well. Composite reliability values (CR), factor loadings of online (Meyers-Levy, 1989; Arcand and Nantel, 2012).
the items and average variance extracted (AVE) were calculated Additionally, women are portrayed as being more risk-averse
to assess the reliability of the measures. Results show (Table 4) than men while online (Garbarino and Strahilevitz, 2004) and
that CR values varied between 0.82 and 0.95, above the with regard to financing (Graham et al., 2002). In m-banking,
recommended threshold of 0.70 (Nunally, 1978; Fornell and gender plays a moderating role on the relationship between
Larcker, 1981). The AVE for each construct ranged from 0.61 MSQ and e-trust (Trabelsi-Zoghlami et al., 2018).
to 0.83, above the 0.50 threshold recommended by Fornell and As far as the device is concerned, tablets and smartphones
Larcker (1981). The factor loadings (l ) are all above 0.70 differ significantly in their screen sizes. McLean et al. (2018)
(Table 3). These indicators, when combined, show good found a significant moderating role of mobile device screen
convergent validity of the measures (Bagozzi and Yi, 1988; sizes on relationships affecting branding, with large screen size
Hair et al., 2014). The AVE of each construct was also greater users more likely to hold a positive attitude and be loyal to the
than the squared correlation coefficients between factors, brand.
which satisfies the discriminant validity test (Fornell and In terms of the brand type, apps linked to financial
Larcker, 1981; Table 4). institutions (vis-a-vis the ones developed by FinTech
startups) may benefit from the attachment that the customer
Hypotheses testing has already developed with the brand through previous
The adequacy of the structural model was estimated. The interactions via other online and offline channels.
model presents a good fit as per the thresholds recommended Fedorikhin et al. (2008) show that a strong attachment to a

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Table 3 Measures: Items and factor loadings

Standardized
Constructs and items factor loading
k
Usability
-In general, the mobile app allows me to input data easily 0.76
-Overall, the user input mechanisms are designed effectively on the mobile app 0.79
-Overall, the mobile app is easy to use 0.84
-To me, the mobile app is very functional 0.88
-Overall, I think that the mobile app is useful 0.84
-In general, the mobile app is of value to me 0.81
-In general, the content of the mobile app is presented effectively 0.89
-Overall, I believe that the mobile app presents contents very well 0.90
Value-added features
-I enjoy the information features of this mobile app (e.g. tips and tricks, reminders, positive feedback messages) 0.81
-I enjoy the promotional features of this mobile app (e.g. extra money for saving activities or % of investment returned and 0.76
friend referral rewards)
-I enjoy the management features of this mobile app (e.g. amount and frequency transfer options, investment or saving account 0.76
types)
Security/privacy
-I think that any personal information provided on this app is well protected 0.89
-I think that the transactions carried out on this app are secure 0.92
-I think that the confidentiality and privacy of my personal information are assured on this app 0.94
-I think that linking my banking accounts and/or credit card accounts to this mobile app is safe 0.90
Interactivity
-This mobile app facilitates two-way communication 0.80
-This mobile app gives me the opportunity to talk back 0.86
-This mobile app makes me feel it wants to listen to its mobile users 0.91
-This mobile app is effective in gathering mobile users’ feedback 0.87
Brand attachment
-[Brand app/financial institution] is part of me and who I am 0.92
-I feel personally connected to [brand app/financial institution] 0.93
-My thoughts and feelings toward [brand app/financial institution] often automatic, are coming to mind seemingly on their own 0.87
-My thoughts and feelings toward [brand app/financial institution] come to my mind naturally and instantly 0.83
Positive WOM
-I encourage friends and relatives to be customers of the mobile app 0.85
-I say positive things about the mobile app in the next few years 0.94
-I would recommend the mobile app to someone who seeks my advice 0.88

Table 4 Descriptive statistics, convergent and discriminant validity (CFA, EQS 6.3)a
Construct Meanb SD CR 1 2 3 4 5 6
Usability (1) 5.47 1.08 0.95 0.71 0.59 0.38 0.23 0.11 0.42
Value added features (2) 5.31 1.27 0.82 0.61 0.32 0.56 0.20 0.48
Security/privacy (3) 5.34 1.33 0.95 0.83 0.26 0.17 0.33
Interactivity (4) 4.12 1.49 0.92 0.74 0.22 0.32
Brand attachment (5) 3.66 1.73 0.94 0.79 0.22
Positive WOM (6) 4.48 1.63 0.92 0.79
Notes: a Average variance extracted appears on the diagonal (in bold) and squared correlation is above the diagonal. b On a scale 1 = strongly disagree, 7 =
strongly agree. CR = composite reliability.

brand significantly influences intentions to spread positive groups. We can, therefore, conclude that our model is
WOM about brand extensions. robust across gender (male vs female), mobile device
However, in all three situations, no significant difference (smartphone vs tablet) and brand types (financial institution
was found in the structural relationships between the two vs FinTech).

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Table 5 Parameter estimates and results of hypotheses testsa

Association Structural path ( g ) p-value Result
Direct associations
MSQ fi brand attachment (BA)
H1a. Usability fi brand attachment 0.10 >0.10 Not supported
H1b. Value-added features fi brand attachment 0.22 <0.10 Marginally supported
H1c. Security/privacy fi brand attachment 0.24 <0.01 Supported
H1d. Interactivity fi brand attachment 0.22 <0.05 Supported
MSQ fi positive WOM
H2a. Usability fi positive WOM 0.25 <0.01 Supported
H2b. Value-added features fi positive WOM 0.27 <0.05 Supported
H2c. Security/privacy fi positive WOM 0.16 <0.01 Supported
H2d. Interactivity fi positive WOM 0.09 >0.10 Not supported
Brand attachment fi positive WOM 0.16 <0.01 Supported
Indirect associations on positive WOM
Usability fi BA fi positive WOM n/a
Value-added features fi BA fi positive WOM 0.03 >0.10 Non significant
Security/privacy fi BA fi positive WOM 0.04 <0.05 Significant
Interactivity fi BA fi positive WOM 0.04 <0.01 Significant
Note: a
Fit indices of the structural model: x 2 = 1,388.18(284), p = 0.000; CFI = 0.964; SRMR = 0.048

Discussion and conclusions
Theoretical implications
The objective of this study is to examine the relationships
between brand attachment, MSQ and positive WOM. This
study makes important theoretical contributions to the research
on factors influencing WOM in the m-banking context. In a
rapidly evolving, highly competitive context, where the use of
m-banking applications is ever-increasing, this study confirms
the need to identify the elements of MSQ that are associated
with WOM, especially, as the latter is moderately generated in
the m-banking context (4.69/7 in Trabelsi-Zoghlami et al.
(2018) and 4.48/7 in this study). First, this study shows that
MSQ plays an important role and specifies the key elements on
which to rely to foster WOM, namely, usability, value-added
features and security/privacy. However, interactivity does not
influence positive WOM and this is in line with Yang and Lee
(2017), who show that interactivity has no significant impact on
either enjoyment or satisfaction in the online context. They find
that consumers tend to interact with the brand via mobile apps,
mainly when they are not satisfied with a product or service or
when they cannot find important information on the app.
Thus, the chances of speaking positively about the application
decrease. In addition to MSQ, this study points out that brand
attachment is also associated with WOM. This study enhances
the knowledge of brand attachment by highlighting its key role
in the success of mobile apps. Considering the clear-cut
utilitarian context of the financial sector in general and m-
banking in particular, chosen for this study, these results are
even more interesting, as the emotional dimension is scarcely
considered in comparison to the cognitive dimension.
Second, this study contributes to the theoretical knowledge
about factors influencing brand attachment in the m-banking
context. It confirms the importance of investigating these
factors in light of the fact that consumers are not very attached
to their financial institutions in general (our data reveal a
meager mean score of 3.66/7). To our knowledge, this study is
the first to empirically confirm the importance of MSQ. More
precisely, our findings showed that brand attachment is
associated with three out of the four dimensions selected for
being the main constituents of MSQ (value-added features,
security/privacy and interactivity). However, usability is not
positively associated with brand attachment. This may be
because mobile apps often limit their functions to what
designers call the “killer features” to develop the “killer app,”
which corresponds to the most useful features users expect to
find in a mobile app compared to a website that needs to be
exhaustive at the functional level (Hu et al., 2008). As a result,
most users expect mobile apps to offer usability as a
prerequisite. Given this line of reasoning, users’ high usability
expectations may result in a dimension of MSQ that is taken for
granted, and therefore does not influence their attachment to
the brand. As a matter of fact, usability is the MSQ dimension
that is best evaluated in our study (5.47/7).
Third, the results of our study enrich the theoretical corpus
of literature inherent to MSQ. More specifically, even though
the dimension of value-added features in MSQ is scarcely
considered in the literature, this study shows that it is important
in the m-banking context. Indeed, it has an impact on both
WOM and brand attachment, the two variables operating at the
emotional levels of the relationship and providing long-term
benefits. Value-added features in the m-banking context allow
enjoying additional benefits (Laukkanen and Lauronen, 2005)
such as personalization, socialization and gamification that are
appreciated by customers.
Finally, this research contributes to a better understanding of
how brand type is associated with the success of m-banking
apps, by showing that banks (as opposed to FinTech startups)
do not moderate any relationships in this study. To our
knowledge, this study is the first to compare the perceptions of
banks vis-à-vis that of FinTechs. This novel contribution is
important, as FinTechs play an increasingly decisive role in the
retail banking industry (Li et al., 2017).

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Managerial implications
For m-commerce app providers and mobile marketing
practitioners in general, some recommendations can be derived
from the assessment of MSQ. First, investing time to evaluate
MSQ of service offerings proves to be quite valuable for brands
when one considers how critical mobile apps are to brands in
general to ensure loyal consumers. This is even more pertinent
with the increasingly common omnichannel context the apps
now have to compete in. As consumers hate switching costs,
usability testing with recruited customers can be used by
brands to help developers identify pain vs gain points using the
mobile app (Banking Apps, 2020), thereby subsequently
fostering MSQ and locking in consumers (Murray and Häubl,
2007). Actionable solutions and suggestions can, thus, emerge
from users’ behavior with the app through the process of co-
creation. Meanwhile, the opinions they elaborate on, regarding
the principal dimensions of MSQ that we rigorously identified
as being prominent from prior research, can help prioritize
what to optimize for favoring brand attachment and WOM
(Martovoy and Dos Santos, 2012).
Taking a serious interest in WOM in the banking mobile
service context has strategic implications for managers. Indeed,
these mobile services – and the case being true for any digital
offering compared with the traditional one – are characterized
by a high degree of risk (Mahadin and Akroush, 2019). Due to
their intangible nature and the fact that they are inseparable
from the service-delivery experience, these services are difficult
to assess in advance, particularly as the digital channel interface
adds a layer of complexity to them (Lien et al., 2018).
Consumers may perceive a greater risk for certain transactions
related to these services, for example, when using the mobile
app to transfer funds or deposit checks (Manser Payne et al.,
2018).
Furthermore, banks have adopted a growing number of
technology-based service innovations over the past few decades
(e.g. AI-powered chatbots for 24/7 customer support, robot-
advisers for finance management). This situation has increased
consumer uncertainty as innovations keep being added to the
digital banking offering (Manser Payne et al., 2018). These new
types of services have the potential to destabilize some
consumers who value receiving banking services via a human
agent and feel less comfortable with technology-led banking
encounters (Coughlan et al., 2007; Huseynov, 2020). Also,
banking technological products (i.e. FinTech) include
personalization features that are increasingly perceived as self-
relevant (linked to consumer identity) going beyond the strict
utilitarian dimension related to them, and which turn WOM
into an opportunity for consumer self-promotion (Financial
Brand, 2015). WOM is becoming an increasingly important
marketing strategy to attract banking consumers, especially for
Gen Y, as this segment is particularly fond of banking advice
(Financial Brand, 2015). Therefore, leveraging positive WOM
about and from mobile banking apps is strategic as it is also
helpful for consumers themselves, especially, as they perceive
WOM as more credible and persuasive compared with other
firm-initiated communications such as advertising or sales
promotion (Wang, 2011). To help encourage WOM
marketing, practitioners could create reward programs that
incentivize referrals through the mobile banking app as some
companies do (e.g. Amazon, Robinhood) (Gray, 2017).
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Volume 30 · Number 8 · 2021 · 1162–1175
According to our results, perceived security/privacy enhances
brand attachment and customers’ positive WOM. This means
that m-banking app providers should ensure that users clearly
perceive that their mobile solutions are secure on a
transactional level by adding visible standard icons such as a
green padlock and Verisign logos. In addition, m-banking app
providers could offer customers the choice of logging in their
mobile app through either their online banking credentials or,
more advantageously, through fingerprint or face-recognition,
as these options constitute advanced login security features
(Ahmad et al., 2012) only available with mobile devices such as
smartphones or tablets. Service managers in the m-banking
sector should also ensure that their customers are aware that
these login options are available to them (the traditional ones
like secret questions and password change procedures, along
with the more sophisticated emerging tech-based secure login
methods that use biometric functions) so that they can trust the
mobile app to keep their private information confidential at all
times by any means they are most comfortable with.
Value-added features can also serve informational and
promotional purposes. For instance, Ally Bank in the US offers
stock market news directly on their m-banking app as a bonus
perk, while the Bank of America’s mobile app, through
geofencing, helps you find local cash-back opportunities to earn
rewards while en route such as during your daily commute
(Delbridge, 2020). Finally, as most dimensions of MSQ are
associated with positive WOM in the m-banking sector, all
types of financial institutions, including FinTech companies,
would greatly benefit from implementing marketing referral
programs through social media, which are known to be mostly
accessed via mobile apps. This marketing strategy is well used
by pioneering C2C platform services; for example, Airbnb and
Uber are two of the most popular services.
Limitations and future research
Undoubtedly, this study presents a few limitations that are
likely to inspire future research to expand upon our findings.
This study was carried out in a single country (Canada) and in a
utilitarian activity sector (m-banking apps). Some authors
(Michon and Chebat, 2004) have reported differences in the
financial behavior of anglophones and francophones, so it may
be interesting to further explore cultural differences along these
lines in the m-banking context. Finally, this study quite
interestingly reveals the association of value-added mobile
features and both brand attachment and WOM in the m-
banking context. This innovative research track encourages us
to further explore the various categories of features (e.g.
informational, promotional or preference management) offered
in m-banking applications and assess the ones that largely
determine brand attachment and positive WOM depending on
the branding objectives (e.g. customer brand loyalty or brand
advocacy). Given the importance of brand attachment, as well
as its antecedents and consequences in m-banking applications
and in retailing in general, the subject of MSQ (hitherto not
studied extensively) definitely constitutes pioneering work,
certain to lead to abundant future research in the field of
marketing and branding.
In the context of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic,
leading to the increased use of online and mobile transactions
and changing behaviors, it is relevant for financial institutions
 Mobile banking service quality
Lova Rajaobelina, Prom TepSandrine, Manon Arcand and Line Ricard
to rethink branding and use mobile to build emotion-rich
relationships with customers (Cocheo, 2020).
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About the authors
Lova Rajaobelina, PhD, is an Associate Professor of
Marketing at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
(Canada). He is also an Associate Researcher for the Financial
Services Management Chair at the same university (www.
chaire-msf.uqam.ca). His research interests are in experiential
marketing, bank marketing, hospitality and tourism strategies,
relationship marketing and online consumer marketing. Lova
Rajaobelina is the corresponding author and can be contacted
at: rajaobelina.lova@uqam.ca
Sandrine Prom Tep, PhD, is an Associate Professor of
Marketing at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).
She focuses her research interests on interactive marketing,
consumer mobile behavior and online participation (UGC
and Web 2.0). She has published in the International Journal of
Bank Marketing, International Journal of Case Studies in
Management, Journal de l’interaction Personne-Système and The
Annual Review of Interdisciplinary Justice Research.
Manon Arcand, PhD, is a Full Professor of Marketing at the
Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). She has
published over 20 peer-reviewed research articles and
presented over 30 communications in national and
international academic conferences. Her research interest
includes digital and mobile marketing, as well as online
consumer behavior in various service settings including
financial services.
Line Ricard, PhD, is a Full Professor of Marketing at the
Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). She is
the Director of the Financial Services Management Chair at
the same university (www.chaire-msf.uqam.ca). Her research
interests are in services marketing, relationship marketing,
tourism marketing, bank marketing and marketing research
methodology.