THE BANK OF THE FUTURE

Designing a new experience in retail banking. 2006

The National Australia Bank had identified a need to create a new branch design, with a real customer focus, that leveraged retail design principles and identified opportunities from new technologies. The first step was to choose a suitable design partner. A limited call for tenders was put out to the market place. Crowd Productions and Studio dp won this process. Dennis Quinn, then Head of Physical and Self Service Delivery at NAB said "We were looking for an innovative design company that could create a unique customer experience within a 'bank of the future'. We did not need a design company that could make the branch 'look nice', but rather an organization that was driven by creating a unique experience via the physical environment. Crowd was therefore chosen". They worked closely with the marketing and brand teams to create an environment that aligned well to their defined customer experience and brand promise." Dennis Quinn and the National Australia Bank team worked closely with Crowd and Studio dp to first develop the concept, then build a prototype to test the concept. and complete a roll out design concept that has now been implemented in a first "live" branch at Victoria point. Dennis observed "Building a prototype was a first for the National Bank but invaluable to test ideas and get them right before expensive implementation. Though it is still early in the Australia wide rollout process the design outcome has been extremely well received by staff and customers, achieving a unique and new customer experience."

In addressing the redesign of retail banking space for NAB we proposed that the bank space is not a blank canvas to act as merely a background to advertising graphics and merchandising campaigns. The space and the people within the space are key actors in creating the real banking experience. As in all retail experiences this must dovetail with the branding messages. We argue that the physical bank spaces and human resources need to be presented as a core experience. The bank's network in its own right is the anchor of the spatial design. The spatial design must not be a blank canvas enlivened only by two dimensional marketing messages.

Based on research conducted as part of the NAB's wider research program we have focused on:
01.] Enhancing the functional experience of banking and information gathering for the customer and accommodating a suite of contemporary technology options designed to increase efficiency and speed for the customer and increase efficiency and security for the tellers and other banking staff.
02.] Enhancing the quality and appeal of the working experience for bank staff.
03.] Exploring the possible linkages and synergies available with local communities that enhance the banking experience for customers and staff and accommodate these within the built design. We needed to address how that relationship to the local community is expressed. The maintenance of that expression needs to be easy for the bank and for community input and to ensure that the banks intent is coherent.
04.] Given the extraordinary range of building stock, an architectural program needed to be very flexible while achieving increased performance and presenting a harmonious and coherent image for the bank. A modular approach both in terms of conceptualising the banking zones and activities but also in designing the actual fixtures was required.
05.] Ensuring that the new experiences are coherent and easy to identify for customers.
06.] Ensuring that the current disconnect between the bankÕs media presence and the experience of the built bank branch environment was removed.
07.] Bringing together all the internal business disciplines into one space; the brand, the people, products, technology, the processes and design.
08.] Creating an outcome aligned to NAB's key business objectives. I.e.: NAB's Customer First initiative.

In discussion with the NAB we identified a number of core principles and zones which the bank was keen to pursue operationally and that we should develop spaces for.
1] Core principles
The new retail space design for NAB revolves around 3 core principles:
01.] Conversation
The banking space is designed to allow NAB staff the opportunity to converse with customers readily in a variety of ways.
02.] Network
The bank is designed to express and facilitate connection to the local business and community networks in which it operates and to enhance connection to the wider and significant NAB network.
03.] Efficiency
The introduction and deployment of new technology is designed to enhance the ease and efficiency of the banking process.

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