Al Bilad Leads Saudi Consumer Sentiment in Banking Sentiment Report

DataEQ has released the 2025 Saudi Banking Operational Sentiment Report. This report provides an in-depth look at how consumers are experiencing banking in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from mobile app and onboarding journeys to turnaround times and service delivery challenges.

Based on over 4.6 million public posts from X, from 1 January - 31 December 2024, the findings reveal performance trends across nine leading banks and highlight where operational expectations are being met and where improvements are most needed.

Al Bilad Leads the Rankings

Among the banks evaluated, Al Bilad emerged as the top performer, achieving the highest overall Net Sentiment. Notably, Al Bilad always the only bank to rank positively for both operational and reputational Net Sentiment.  

Other banks that featured positively in the rankings included Riyad Bank, Bank Al Jazira, Alinma Bank, and Al Rajhi Bank, each recording a positive Net Sentiment score. The report also featured Saudi Awwal Bank, Saudi Investment Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi, and Saudi National Bank, offering a comparative view of consumer perception across a broad cross-section of the Kingdom’s banking sector.

“Al Bilad’s strong all-round performance reflects an encouraging standard of customer service delivery,” said Jamie Botha, Head of Global Partnerships at DataEQ. “More broadly, the research highlights the growing importance of aligning digital capabilities with consumer expectations in a rapidly evolving Saudi banking environment. These insights offer an opportunity for banks to further enhance operational effectiveness and improve customer service delivery.”

Key Insights from the 2024 Saudi Operational Excellence Report

• Customer service continues to be a significant challenge for many institutions. The report found that 83% of complaints related to poor turnaround time, while overall service quality conversations recorded a Net Sentiment of -82%.
• Mobile apps were the most discussed digital service channel, but also the most negatively perceived, attracting a Net Sentiment of -52%, with users citing login issues, lag, and platform instability.
• Al Rajhi Bank and Riyad Bank accounted for over 50% of the industry conversation, reflecting their strong presence in the market. 
• A key insight from the customer journey is the sharp decline in sentiment as soon as the onboarding process begins. While pre-customer sentiment is generally positive, onboarding-related feedback quickly shifts negative, reflecting frustrations with self-service tools, delays, and the need to revert to traditional channels.
• In contrast, reputational sentiment across the industry was generally positive, supported by loyalty campaigns and marketing engagement, which helped improve public standing of the banks featured. However, this did not always align with operational realities.
  
  

Digital Transformation and Vision 2030

The findings provide a data-driven snapshot of current public sentiment and operational performance delivery against consumer expectations. As the Kingdom continues to advance its Vision 2030 transformation agenda, the results offer valuable insight into where banks are meeting expectations and where operational performance could be strengthened.

Digital transformation plays a central role in enabling more accessible, efficient, and scalable services for Saudi consumers. In the banking sector, digital platforms have become the primary interface for many customers, placing increased pressure on institutions to deliver seamless, reliable, and responsive digital experiences. The report highlights that banks who succeed in these areas are more likely to generate stronger public sentiment and improved customer satisfaction.

For banks looking to drive improved customer satisfaction, the findings provide a clear benchmark for action across service, digital experience, and reputational performance.