More than 50 percent of small-business customers report bank problems.

Although small businesses contribute significantly higher revenue to banks than retail customers, the incidence of problems experienced by small businesses is considerably higher, according to the 2006 Small Business Banking Satisfaction Study released recently by J.D. Power and Associates, Westlake Village, Calif.

More than one-half of small businesses report problems, compared with 31 percent of retail customers. Processing and transaction errors, such as the deposit details not showing up properly, are the most commonly reported problems.

"Small business customers typically carry account balances that are 25 times greater than the average account balance among retail customers," says Jeff Taylor, senior direct of the company's banking practices. "Yet we find that a number of small businesses are not receiving the level of attention from their banks that they expect."

When experiencing a problem, customers with a clearly defined point of contact report higher satisfaction levels than those without a key contact person, according to the study. Satisfaction is highest among customers who identify a loan officer or bank manager as their primary contact.