The major banks have maintained their highest levels of customer satisfaction on record, but home loan customer satisfaction still lags behind.
The Roy Morgan Research Consumer Banking Customer Satisfaction Report found satisfaction with the big four remained unchanged in December at 78.4%. The result sees the majors at their highest satisfaction levels since the series began in 1996.
But a gap remains between home loan customer satisfaction and satisfaction among non-home loan customers. Just short of 80% of those without a mortgage were satisfied with the majors, while only 72% of customers with home loans were satisfied.
Roy Morgan spokesperson Norman Morris said the gap in satisfaction was curious, as home loan customers have reaped benefits from rate reductions, while non-home loan customers have taken a hit on their deposits.
He speculated that the difference may simply be one of perception. "The extensive publicity being given in 2012 to banks not passing on the full reduction in the cash rate is likely to have impacted adversely on home loan customers,” he said.
NAB was highest among the big four in customer satisfaction, at 79.8%, followed closely by Commonwealth Bank at 79.7%, Westpac at 76.8% and ANZ at 76%.
