CRM Practices and Customer Loyalty in Non-Banking Financial Companies in Kerala

This study examines whether perceived Customer Relationship Management (CRM) practices relate to customer satisfaction and loyalty among Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) customers in Kerala. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey of 200 retail customers employed Likert-type scales for perceived CRM practices (20 items), satisfaction (10 items), and loyalty (10 items). Composite indices were computed after reverse-scoring prescribed items, and data analysis was carried out in EDUSTAT using Pearson correlations and complementary simple regressions. Results indicate positive associations between perceived CRM and loyalty (r = .43, p < .001) and between perceived CRM and satisfaction (r = .42, p < .001); satisfaction also relates positively to loyalty (r = .42, p < .001). Effect sizes are modest but meaningful (R² ≈ .17–.19). Descriptive statistics place all constructs near a neutral baseline, signalling scope for improvement in day-to- day interactions. Managerial implications include greater transparency of terms and charges, faster and fairer service recovery, omnichannel continuity across branch–phone– digital touchpoints, more relevant communications, and clear privacy signalling. Limitations include the cross-sectional, self-report design and an accessible sampling frame.