The role of online public relations and social influence on customer behavior at Vietnamese commercial banks

Abstract

This study examines the effects of personalization (Per), social media (SM), and timeliness (Tim) on online public relations (OPR) and customer behavior (CB), as well as the mediating role of OPR and the moderating role of social influence (Soc). Data from 337 customers of Vietnamese joint-stock commercial banks were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that Per and SM significantly enhance OPR, whereas Tim does not affect OPR but directly influences CB. The indirect effects of Per, SM, and Tim on CB through OPR are not significant, indicating that OPR does not mediate the relationships. Although OPR has a small positive effect on CB in the moderation model, Soc neither directly affects CB nor moderates the OPR–CB relationship. These findings suggest that OPR supports digital relationship management but does not automatically translate communication activities into behavioral responses. Banks should therefore prioritize personalized, credible, transparent, and secure communication.