A new bank design for a new way of living the bank. Bank of Georgia reaches this important goal innovating both the positioning and the branch concept. Introducing also a Physical-Digital customer experience, from the brand to the service-intern design touchpoints.
A project about: Service Design, Interior & Architectural Design, Engineering
Settled at the juncture of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, Bank of Georgia საქართველოს ბანკი is the Georgian leading bank. Its strong presence rests on total assets (with a 33.5 % market share), total loans (32.7%) and total deposits (32.2%). Trusted and esteemed, the bank offers a broad range of corporate and retail banking, investment management, wealth and life insurance services, able to create and push innovation into the market. After SOLO success, Bank of Georgia appointed DINN! to redesign all the segments (Affluent, Private and Retail) of the entire company network in order to enhance its growth into the mass market, offering a better and customer-oriented service, and become market leader with distinctive brand architecture and touchpoints. A step-by-step process, starting from a classic transaction approach up to an added value consulting to the bank clients, balancing the ongoing need of transactions.
Following these business goals, DINN! designed a total branch transformation of the retail segment. The key-point is moving the focus from a product centric approach model to a client centric one, reaching out new opportunities to existing profiles. Therefore, DINN! implemented the Co-Working Bank: considering the brand values of Bank of Georgia and its strategical presence into the country, this new model aims for creating both customer and Georgian next step, together as one.
“Bank of Georgia new service model breaks the stereotype of the banking sector, demonstrating that more communication between the bank and the client brings much more benefits to both – especially the latter. Moreover, the client gets exactly those products and services he needs”, said Kakha Kiknavelidze, Chief Executive of Bank of Georgia.
“DINN! conceives a perfect balance between transactional and consultancy dimensions. In Georgia, the use of cash operations is still high, though it is going to reduce in the forthcoming years. Therefore, we designed a new modular space thought to go towards this direction. Design choices – like the use of the same wood floor and finishing – help to highlight the new proportion. Still many cashiers, but with the final perception of the space where only 20% of the layout is dedicated to the transactions, while the rest of the bank is a place for the customers and the consultants to interact” claims Andrea Borsetto, DINN! Chief Creative & Founder!
The bank becomes a key-player closer to the clients, feeding and increasing their concrete desires. Being involved in people’s lives, Bank of Georgia can represent their friendly advisor expressing banking national commitment.
Thinking of a new interactive banking service model interfacing with the Georgian context, DINN! designed the Co-Working Bank: a fresh dynamic landscape inside a warm environment, easy to explore and approach, where people feel at ease within a professional and performing area.
The co-working landscape is the required condition for the client to act in a self-service way or ask for a consultancy, and for the bank to play as a modern, cool and contemporary actor.
Once inside, the central desk performs welcoming function to manage queues and acts as digital educational point as well. Design moved from the existing flat and strong brand color widespread allover to an enjoyable mix of light colors with pastel tones and fresh comfortable furniture to give a pleasant customer experience. It is no more an office to just perform operations, it is a common space to have a talk together.
A colorful and smart communication offers the chance to talk about the bank products: brochures and papers are hanged on the walls, so that the clients can help themselves, and used by the bank staff with a retailer approach.
DINN! gives special attention also to the small details, in order to highlight the landscape and dynamic spaces. For instance, all the meeting rooms and offices are branded with local topographical names to create a balance between modern co-working spaces and local topics. Other examples concern the furniture, such as the introduction of self-water distributor and smart recharge systems.
Bank of Georgia is an “opportunity bank”, which means it has a keen interest in supporting local businesses. Inside the bank, there is a dedicated space for small and middle local business to illustrate their personal stories and sponsor their works – from food to fashion and high-tech start-up producers.
The hashtag of the bank launch is #მეტიურთიერთობა (#morerelationship) to finally express, also in the physical touchpoint, the already existing attention to people’s lives. The first customer feedback is huge: thousands of positive comments on social medias welcoming the renovation, as well as a continuous request to transform the whole retail branches in this way.
By the end of 2017, Bank of Georgia is going to open about 20 new service centers on a total network of 80 branches, while in the next year the new model will be implemented to all the bank branches. The first new model service center opened on 11th May 2017 in N7 I. Chavchavadze St.
