An innovative bank branch design to increase the ROI in commercial activities (+ 20% delivered in the first year) and improve the customer experience for the one of the worldwide biggest player in banking and insurance market, Crédit Agricole. Among the purposes, there is also the desire to attract new clients, increase the cross selling activities and streamline the branch network.
A project about: Service Design, Interior & Architectural Design, Engineering
All the banks are following the purposes of reorganization and automation, but they have to keep an eye on the client’s human dimension. The customer centric attitude is the keystone of this improvement. Banks have to communicate the positivity of this change. A change thought especially for the customer, with its expectations and needs.
No more counters. No barriers. A house bank landscape that renovates Crédit Agricole banking experience in Italy through an innovative and warm design and leading-edge digital technologies.
One year after the opening of the branches with the new concept, Crédit Agricole reached considerable numbers. We have seen a growth that allows us to estimate a ROI of 20 %. Our goal is to reach 350 branches in the coming years. This is an ambitious plan that requires an investment of 300 million euro (up to 2016).
Gianluca Borrelli, Retail Chief Director at Crédit Agricole Italy.
The separation between the two areas – relational and operational – is evident by the bank’s open layout, where visitors are personally greeted upon entering. Customers and associates can discuss sensitive financial matters in designed private service areas, while guests can also schedule appointments online. The whole process is meant to be very simple, while in general, the bank’s design supports total accessibility to customers.
My House Bank combines the aesthetics of a private home with pared-down design to support an easy, relaxed and familiar customer experience. A typical bank has 80 % of its space dedicated to management offices, and 20 % for public areas. For My House Bank, that proportion is reversed.
The way the bank to manage the customer changes. The employees change their behaviour. Now, they stand up and welcome the client. Unlike some banks, “you don’t have to take a ticket; you don’t have to wait“. Someone will welcome you immediately and ask how they can serve you. The (consultant-client) relationship becomes stronger when the customer is considered a guest.
The interior conveys a casual and warm atmosphere. Attention-grabbing, triangular wall and ceiling-coverings demarcate the private service spaces, including the concierge area. Coverings in the service areas visually lower the ceiling, “embracing the clients”. Sliding glass doors provide an extra sense of privacy when discussing personal financial matters, while visually sustaining the openness and accessibility of the space.
The ATM inside the branch allows to cooperate the training and the cross-selling. Overall, the design elements are minimalistic, while accents of green and white reflect the brand’s colours. Lighting is warm, and dimmed illumination in the perimeter areas recalls the privacy of a domestic setting. Various toned woods throughout complement the sleek environment. Limited in-store technology supports greater human interaction between the bank’s staff and its visitors, while protecting a “warm interior design”, and one that isn’t “digital-based”.
