ABA Banking Journal - August 2008 - (Page 42)

BRANCH DESIGN As an example, she brings up National City Bank in Cleveland. Not only did ten 25-foot long windows look dramatically different for a bank known more for traditional lines, it signaled an alliance with the broader community, and became a symbol of hope and urban redevelopment. “It was not an easy project to shepherd,” Winter Holben relates, “but when it was completed, it proved itself worth the effort.” Subsequently, the bank has decorated the windows for various community-oriented projects, including pink ribbons as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Week. National City also launched a “Real Men Wear Pink” campaign making use of the windows that pictured the Cleveland Browns showing their feminine side. Hocking Valley Bank, with seven locations in Athens County, Ohio, is nestled at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. In this office, it’s striking a bold message with a sleek modern look. Avoiding a sea of sameness You can get an individual store or branch just right but there are other issues to contend with. Melissa Centra, president, eView360, Farmington Hills, Mich., says that many companies struggle to deliver a distinctive brand in physical stores and through multiple channels. A client might think in terms of needing edgy graphics or needing to look more modern without first pulling back to consider (with designer guidance) what elements, colors, fonts, and content best reflects their values message and “personality.” eView360, which started its life as a brand consultancy for the internet, moved to logo development and paperbased branding as well as interiors. “It’s challenging to make those choices,” she admits. In terms of physical space, what she sees many clients struggle with is form versus function. “Either they’ll have a very good floor plan with ample separation between client spaces and other work areas or an appropriate space for product display, but the look and feel is neglected or the look and feel will be on target but the spacing will be wrong,” Centra explains. “It’s rare for me to see offices or retail interiors optimally used and designed.” When pressed, Centra mentioned National City Bank, Flagstar, and Fidelity Investments as three financial services firms that had done some “nice things” with their outlets in the Michigan 42 AUGUST 2008/ABA BANKING JOURNAL area where she lives and works. She also referenced the effectiveness in the headquarters look of search engine juggernaut Google. But it was clear that Centra wasn’t easily impressed. Neither was Pam Saftler, senior associate with TVA Architecture in Seattle. Her biggest issue? Too much sameness in stores that may, indeed, look smart as a single entity, but can have the net effect of de-regionalizing cities when a copycat cuteness is scattered nationwide. Backlash against a sea of uniformity, Saftler predicts, may force banks and other retailers to adjust design-savvy deployments just as these companies were learning how to master the rules of looking good. Yet, command of these nuances will give national companies in many industries an edge, she believes. Saftler and her team worked in partnership with brand development firm Ziba several years ago to help Portlandbased Umpqua Bank come up with its highly celebrated Pearl District Branch. Particularly progressive at the time, its layout was designed to help customers to engage with the space around them, because tellers were placed in the rear of the store. But as good as the branch looked, Umpqua didn’t literally duplicate it in every location. Admittedly practical concerns like cost were partially behind the reasoning, but the bank’s retail delivery team also carefully considered how each branch would fit into its surroundings. When it comes to tailoring, Saftler especially likes retailer Anthropologie, which she says is adept at regionalizing its outlets. “Different window designers are used in every city to develop more of a unique look and feel,” she says. As for her bank client, Saftler says that, more recently, Umpqua has come up with an Innovation Lab format with TVA that underscores technology and targeted use of self service. “The team at Umpqua understands that branding and design work is an evolving process, you have to make adjustments over time,” Saftler says. Don Lonergan, founder, DRL Associates, Inc., Weymouth, Mass., wasn’t nearly as tough on the industry. He says he sees many outstanding deployments in the financial services sector and thinks that gradually, the group as a whole is getting better at “acting as retailers.” Yet he admits that his 30 years of service has given him a long view. “In my experience, banks have been pretty adventurous. Here in the New England area, we had one of the first banks that decided to implement an ATM at a time when nobody really knew what they were,” says Lonergan. “Banks are pretty open to innovation when you look at overall cycles of technology adoption.” Retail bankers, he explains, struggle to find a balance between self service and teller assistance. They need to signal being a place where planning can occur. BJ Subscribe at www.ababj.com DEI CORP. https://www.nationalcity.com https://www.nationalcity.com http://www.drlarchitects.com http://www.drlarchitects.com http://www.umpquabank.com http://www.ababj.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ABA Banking Journal - August 2008

ABA Banking Journal - August 2008 Contents Editor’s Column Banks Could Win or Lose with Barcode Mandate Snapshot: Residential Lending, a Few Bright Spots Fair Value Accounting: Not Fit for Banks Past ABA Chair Heads to the Fed 100th Anniversary: Then & Now ABA Resources ABA Chairman’s Position Have Your Branch, and Sell It Too Pass the Aspirin Cover Story: Filling the Gap, but Carefully What Inspires Most? Ten Tips from Today's Designers Guided By Feedback: Measuring Customer Engagement In Brief Avoiding Being the "Banker Who Knew Too Much" Mailbox Banker’s Mart White Papers To Advertise/Index of Advertisers The Economy

ABA Banking Journal - August 2008

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