26 JULY / AUGUST 2020 By now you have felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on your business and community. This crisis will additionally impact future bank facility design to focus on safety as well as the ability to serve customers. While embracing wellness, we are likely to see changes in how spaces are configured and a greater reliance on technology. Changing Space Needs Initially in the pandemic, drive-thrus became an ideal way to offer contactless transactions. Many banks closed their lobbies and shifted all transactions to drive-thrus’ to continue serving customers safely. As we look ahead to the future, it might be time to rethink the drive-thrus set-up and add two-way video capabilities to make them more personal. Another consideration is the open workspace concept, which makes social distancing a challenge. Hand sanitizers, plexiglass barriers and floor markers have helped banks reopen lobbies safely, but keep in mind that floor treatments do not need to look like cheap decals randomly placed. Instead, think of floor treatments as tasteful design elements. Additionally, assigned offices or desks have been found to harbor germs, because crews typically are instructed not to touch anything on individual desks. By implementing a clean desk policy, by which staff must have desks cleaned off before leaving for the day, office desks can be cleaned nightly. Also make sure that the layout is configured to eliminate face-to-face conversations across three-foot-wide desks. At the time of this writing, many bank branches have suspended waiting areas. When they are reinstated, rather than the traditional configuration of four to six chairs in a communal area, aim to create smaller, separate areas. Furniture can be arranged in a manner that promotes social distancing. Changing Technology The sudden shift to contactless transactions spurred by the pandemic will also have a lasting impact. Customers who were slow to adapt to online and mobile banking technology likely began using these tools and may not return to branches. While we believe that people will still come to branches, however, to deal directly with people, it will be important for community banks to offer options. At the same time, some non-frontline bank staff who were moved to remote work might never return. This change, too, increases the need to ensure that appropriate technology is in place to maintain high-quality service. With the possibility of more customers interacting with your bank remotely, the long-discussed branch transformation will accelerate. Branches will become places for deeper, more consultative conversations versus simple transactions. The Bank Branch Experience How the pandemic will change it Jeff Klump President K4 Architecture + Design jklump@k4architecture.com K4 Architecture + Design is a Preferred Service Provider of the Indiana Bankers Association and an IBA Diamond Associate Member. PSP SHOWCASE
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