Where your branch is situated has design—and brand—implications.

by. Paul Seibert, CMC

Creating a well-branded branch experience is essential to increasing branch productivity, share of wallet, and member growth. As we strive to engineer a consistent experience for members across all delivery channels, we can control the look, feel, and voice of a location. However, a factor that is less easy to control is location. Specific sites and regions present design issues that must be integrated into the planning so they are a net positive to the member experience.

We design branches and headquarters for credit unions in such far-flung places as Florida, Alaska, New Jersey, and Guam. This experience has exposed us to a variety of localized issues that, in the end, we were able to turn into positive motivators for good design and enrich the member experience. Here are some of the things we’ve learned.

Mall Design Guidelines

A new branch may be located in a mall that has tight “covenants and restrictions” that dictate such design characteristics as heights, required position on the property so as not to block a big box store at the back, and design guidelines to match the rest of the mall.

In the worst case, you must follow the guidelines to the letter, but sometimes negotiations can get you the go-ahead to bring your brand forward while still satisfying the intent of the mall guidelines. For example, you might be able to open the entry by using floor-to-ceiling glass to let the community in and let the brand come through to passers-by. Or perhaps you can position a video monitor inside your mall branch so it can be seen from outside, attract attention and promote the brand.

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