MALAYSIAN BANKS STRIVE TO CONTINUE IMPROVING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

March 13, 2026

Joint media statement by The Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) and Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM)

Kuala Lumpur, 13 March 2026: The Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) and Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (AIBIM) are pleased to announce the results of the Malaysian Retail Banking Industry Customer Satisfaction Survey 2025 (“the Survey”), which recorded an overall Customer Satisfaction score of 87%. The Survey was conducted independently by Kantar Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

The Survey measures customer experience using Customer Satisfaction and Net Promoter Score (NPS). Customer Satisfaction reflects the proportion of customers who are satisfied with their banking experience and ranges from 0% to 100%, while NPS is based on customers’ likelihood to recommend their bank and is reported on a scale of −100 to +100. Results of the Survey should be interpreted within the context of the Survey’s scope, sampling methodology and timeframe. Fieldwork for the Survey was conducted between 21 July 2025 and 2 October 2025.

Conducted biennially since 2017, the Survey is an industry-wide initiative led by ABM and AIBIM with the support of Bank Negara Malaysia. It provides an industry level reference point to assess service standards and drive ongoing improvements in customer experiences in the Malaysian banking industry.

A total of 9,500 responses were obtained from customers of the 19 participating banks, comprising conventional commercial banks and Islamic banks.

Key Findings:

The overall Customer Satisfaction score for the industry stood at 87%, indicating that a majority of customers are satisfied with their banks. The industry also recorded an NPS of +43, with many customers willing to recommend their bank to family and friends.

Key highlights include:

  • Respondents reported positive experiences across both digital and in-branch services, demonstrating consistent service delivery across all touchpoints.
  • Convenience, reliability and digital innovation are the key drivers of customer satisfaction.
  • Mobile banking applications remain one of the most-used channels, valued for convenience, accessibility, speed and round-the-clock availability (Customer Satisfaction score of 84%).
  • Relationship manager channel scored the highest amongst all channels, especially among affluent customers who value personalised advice (Customer Satisfaction score of 90%).
  • The industry’s Customer Service Charter remains relevant, with all four pillars (i.e. Know Your Customer, Timely and Efficient Service, Transparent and Personable Service, and Banking Made Accessible) recording Customer Satisfaction scores of over 80%.
  • Customers recognise the distinct strengths of different banks – smaller banks are appreciated for personalised service and responsiveness, while larger banks are valued for their comprehensive offerings and scale.

Overall, the findings suggest the industry is meeting customer expectations while continuing to adapt to ongoing digital change.

Committed to Continuous Enhancement

While the overall results are encouraging and reflect the industry’s strong commitment to customer-centric service, the Survey also highlights important areas for continued improvement. The positive satisfaction levels affirm the progress made in strengthening service quality, expanding digital capabilities, and enhancing customer engagement.

At the same time, the findings point to the need to further improve digital reliability to ensure consistent availability of seamless and secure platforms that are user-friendly. Other areas of opportunity for the banks include streamlining processes to reduce friction and enhance efficiency, as well as deepening personalisation to better meet customers’ evolving expectations.

Overall, the Survey not only validates the industry’s achievements to date, but also provides a clear direction for the way forward – reinforcing that delivering excellent customer experience is an ongoing journey of continuous improvement and innovation.

For more information on the Survey, please visit www.abm.org.my and www.aibim.com.

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