The Role Of Cross Selling In SME Banking: An Analysis from Turkey

Abstract

Non-lending activities in SME financing is a phenomenon whose significance has recently been recognized. Provision of different products and services to companies is becoming an important profit center for banks serving SMEs and the supply side of SME financing has been experiencing a shift towards fee-based products and services, mainly due to the risks and challenges associated with SME lending. Despite these important developments in the industry, there are a limited number of studies that focus on the bank activities related with cross-selling to SMEs. This paper aims to address this gap in the literature, by investigating the role of cross selling in SME banking by analyzing the major business models and strategies both at international and local contexts. The study targets to make important contributions to SME finance and in particular SME banking literature, as it highlights the changing market structure in the supply-side of SME banking and pinpoints how best practices in international banking system can form examples for banks that prioritize growth in SME segment.

Keywords: Finance, SME, Banking

JEL Classification: G19