branches


Bankers and retailers – will we see roles switch? Or simply morph into a single discipline?

Technology is having a tremendous impact on the way communities shop so changes are more or less expected as we see these shopping mall operators push back on so many dire predictions being made about them. But can they change and yes, could these changes lead to a greater overlap with banking as it exists today? Do we even need differentiation between the two and yes, will they both be able to keep us satisfied when it comes to access to our cash?

DBS creates lifestyle branch for tech generation

In a move to attract the tech generation to branches, Singapore’s DBS has launched a “lifestyle space” providing freshly brewed coffee, interactions with humanoid robots and a virtual reality (VR) area for retirement planning.

Case study: Piraeus Bank – e-branches

Stefanos Mytilineos, deputy general manager, digital business retail banking, branch network & deposits, Piraeus Bank Group, shares the bank’s experience of bringing full digital banking experience to brick-and-mortar branches.

Avoid a bank branch nightmare this Halloween

Trick or treat! It’s Halloween and brands everywhere are using spooky season as a way to have some fun with customers. However, any ghoulish behaviour belongs firmly in the land of fun, and should not creep into everyday customer interactions

ING unveils new branch concept that “feels like home”

ING Belgium has opened doors to its first “client house” branch, which the bank describes as “a place where retail, business and private banking customers can walk in and enjoy a good coffee and receive personal service”.

Sibos 2017: the future of money

What’s more valuable today, data or money? Today’s “The Future of Money” discussion at Sibos had “the new oil” – data – firmly in its sights.

I know what I am doing!

Recent business surveys together with published industry trends suggest that ATMs aren’t going to disappear from the landscape quite yet even as the rate of bank branch closures will not take place as rapidly as could have been expected just a short time ago. What’s happening?

Infographic: banking in Europe 2017 – EBF facts and figures

European Banking Federation (EBF) has published its annual update on the banking sector in Europe. According to the EBF findings, staff numbers and branches in the European banking sector continued to shrink in 2016, while Eurozone deposits and loans grew slightly.

Physical containers – reused in novel ways. Does that include nextgen branch offices?

With standards as simple as what we see with shipping containers, creative folks will begin considering options for almost anything that can benefit from these containers being mobile. The user experience that today we enjoy with mobile devices has changed the very heart of today’s data centre even as we see on-premise IT moving to clouds. Couldn’t a case be made that such flexibility be embraced even more aggressively in the future and couldn’t that change the very way we view banking as it continues to transform?

Top ten fintech opinion pieces in 2016

Look back at some of the most interesting and thought-provoking opinion pieces on all matters fintech published by Banking Technology in 2016.

Banks, stop thinking about branches as a place to transact

How would you respond if someone were to ask you: “What is the purpose of the bank branch?” For decades, the first answer may have been: “To allow customers to conveniently transact with the bank and manage their accounts”. This model has now changed drastically, and banks that still operate as they used to will very quickly yield to more forward-thinking competitors.

Commerzbank in major job cutting spree

Commerzbank has firmed up plans to lay off nearly 5,000 people. Around 3,000 job cuts will be across the bank’s branch network at home in Germany. Another 1,900+ jobs will be eliminated outside Germany and across Commerzbank’s subsidiaries.

Does the bank branch still matter?

The number of branches operated by major banking groups in the UK has halved over the last 20 years. In fact, Britain’s banks closed more than 600 branches across the UK between April 2015 and April 2016. This is hardly surprising as more and more people move online, often mobile-first, to complete most of their […]

Digital games banks got to play – part 2

Today, most banks want to be digital leaders because that is where the customers are! This has brought in a change in the attitude of many traditional banks. Arun S. Padaki, a seasoned corporate banker, credit risk and business process management consultant, explores what it takes to become a digital leader and who is already […]