Actual Behavior of Mobile Banking Customers in Iran: The Relationship Between Trust, Satisfaction, and Actual Customer Behavior

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present study is to examine the mechanism of trust formation and its impact on satisfaction, behavioral intention, and actual behavior of mobile banking customers of Shahr Bank in Iran.   Methodology: This research is applied in terms of objective, causal in terms of method, and survey-based in nature. The data collection tool was a closed-ended questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale. The sample consisted of 384 customers of Shahr Bank in Isfahan who used mobile banking services between March and May 2024. The sampling method was convenience sampling, and Cochran's formula was used to determine the sample size. Furthermore, structural equation modeling was employed to examine the relationships between variables using PLS software, and descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS software.   Findings: The results showed that service quality (t-statistic = 2.20), information quality (4.55), system quality (2.85), structural assurance (7.12), and task-related features (3.22) significantly influence the trust variable. Additionally, there is a significant relationship between trust and user satisfaction with mobile banking (t-statistic = 21.29). User satisfaction with mobile banking leads to behavioral intention (t-statistic = 20.13), which in turn drives customers toward actual usage of mobile banking services (t-statistic = 12.75). Finally, the data fit indices such as composite reliability and Cronbach’s alpha were above the standard threshold of 0.7.   Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of trust and user satisfaction in influencing actual behavior in mobile banking and contributes to the existing body of knowledge on behavioral intention by offering a better understanding of how these factors affect intentions and preferences in developing countries such as Iran.