The spiritual connection
Building customer loyalty in islamic banking through strategic communication that touches on transcendental aspects
Abstract
In the competitive landscape of the modern financial industry, Islamic banking faces a double challenge: it must compete commercially with conventional banks while maintaining the authenticity of the Islamic values that define its identity. In this context, differentiation is no longer just a matter of products, but rather the meaning offered to customers. This article aims to examine how strategic communication can serve as a bridge to reach the transcendental aspects within customers, namely the spiritual need to feel connected to divine values in economic activities. Using a literature review and qualitative analysis of the communication strategies of selected Islamic banks in Indonesia (particularly Bank Syariah Indonesia/BSI), this article finds that customer loyalty can no longer be built solely through promotions, competitive interest rates, or ease of transactions. Instead, communication that emphasizes the values of trust, blessing, and worship has proven to be more effective in creating deep emotional and spiritual connections. These findings confirm that the future success of Islamic banking depends on their ability to convey financial messages in spiritual language, so that every interaction with customers becomes not just a transaction, but a journey towards blessings
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