3 - Consider the full customer journey when creating a floor plan.
Before you start choosing finishes and colors, think through every step of the customer journey from the time they pull into the parking lot to when they walk back out to their car. What will they see? What do you want them to experience?
For example, some credit unions and community banks opt for a welcome desk right inside the front door because they encourage customers to make an appointment whenever possible so they get personalized service for exactly what they need that day. Others opt for a more open floor plan where members or customers can easily see teller pods and into any office space so they can quickly identify where they need to go to accomplish their task for that visit.
And, what will happen at each stage of the visit? What kind of technology will credit union and community bank team members need to access during a visit and how will that be woven seamlessly into the layout of the branch? Will any handoffs between credit union and community bank team members be necessary? If so, how will those handoffs work? Once a member or customer has completed their visit for the day, what will they see and experience on their way out the door? Should we plan a design element that creates a memorable impression as they are leaving?
The only way to consistently deliver a high-quality customer experience is to curate that experience from start to finish. That means considering the floor plan as a key element of creating a deeper sense of engagement with your customers.
4 - Add your brand-specific and community-driven elements as the finishing touch.
With customer expectations, branch type, and floor plan and technology decisions made, you can move on to design finishes. This is where you bring in your brand colors and shapes through creative elements—signage (including digital signage), architectural features (both interior and exterior), textures, and materials.
For the exterior, consider including a bold, memorable design feature that can remind people of your brand 24/7—your version of McDonald’s golden arches. For the interior, consider colors and surfaces that are consistent with your brand and what you want customers to feel while they’re in the branch.
Remember to include elements that will connect each branch to the specific community where it’s located. What will communicate to customers and potential customers that this branch was custom-designed for this community in this location?
To design a branch that drives member or customer engagement, every nuance and detail must be considered and handled with care. If you do that, you’ll serve your customers and the surrounding community well and set up your branch to produce predictable, long-term growth.
