The Significance of Social Networks as Digital Communication Channels in Serbian Banks
Značaj društvenih mreža kao digitalnih kanala komunikacije u srpskim bankama
Abstract
The implementation of modern digital technologies in banking, as well as the integration of communication and sales channels are significant factors for business success in the banking market. Specifically, the benefits of digital banking are the ability to optimize and standardize services and more efficient customer approach, resulting in higher quality of service and lower costs of delivery. The method and form of communication with current and future clients is often a decisive factor in gaining loyalty and increasing the customer base, and digital communication channels, and above all social networks, have a significant upward trend in modern banking. The study whose results are presented in this paper, was aimed to investigate the views of bank managers regarding the influence of social networks, as digital channels of communication, on the profitability of banks in Serbia. The results show that managers believe that in order to increase market share and improve customer relations, banks should continuously invest resources in educating both their employees and their clients in respect to digital communication, and particularly in terms of communication through social networks. In addition to continuous employee education, the bank should observe and implement relevant modern technologies related to digital communication platforms, as this business model is an inevitable trend in modern banking.
Apstrakt
Implementacija savremenih digitalnih tehnologija u bankarstvu, kao i integracija komunikacionih i prodajnih kanala predstavljaju značajne faktore poslovnog uspeha na bankarskom tržištu. Naime, prednosti digitalnog bankarstva su mogućnost optimizacije i standardizacije usluga, efikasniji pristup klijentu, a posledica toga je viši kvalitet isporuke i niži troškovi pružanja usluge. Način i oblik komunikacije prema sadašnjim i budućim klijentima često je odlučujući faktor u sticanju lojalnosti i povećanju baze klijenata, te digitalni komunikacioni kanali, a pre svih društvene mreže, imaju značajan trend rasta u modernom bankarstvu. Istraživanje, čiji su rezultati predstavljeni u ovom radu, imalo je za cilj da se istraže stavovi menadžera banaka vezani za uticaj društvenih mreža, kao digitalnih kanala komunikacije, na profitabilno poslovanje banaka u Srbiji. Rezultati istraživanja su pokazali da menadžeri smatraju da banke, u cilju povećanja tržišnog učešća i unapređenja odnosa sa klijentima, treba da kontinuirano ulažu resurse u edukaciju kako svojih zaposlenih, tako i svojih klijenata u segmentu digitalne komunikacije, a posebno u segmentu komunikacije na društvenim mrežama. Osim kontinuirane edukacije zaposlenih, banka treba da prati i implementira relevantne savremene tehnologije vezane za digitalne komunikacione platforme jer takav način poslovanja predstavlja nezaobilazni trend u savremenom bankarstvu.
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