CaixaBank opens its first “all in one” branch in the Valencia City Council square, a new branch concept with which the company aims to revolutionise the banking customer experience in the brick and mortar channel.
“all in one” offers specialised service for all its business models in a single 2,200 square metre space, both for individuals (with advisers specialising in retail banking, Premier Banking and Private Banking) and for self-employed workers (CaixaBank Businesses), technological entrepreneurs (CaixaBank DayOne), SMEs (BusinessBank) and companies (CaixaBank Business).
In total, the “all in one” branch has a team of 80 employees that will provide service to a portfolio of 17,000 customers. During July and August, the opening hours for the public will be from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM. Starting 16 September, the branch will begin an uninterrupted schedule from morning until evening (Monday to Thursday, from 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM; Friday, from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM).
Design and technology for a one-of-a-kind experience
In addition to specialist and customised financial advisory, “all in one” offers the public an innovative experience that is completely unique in the sector.
Firstly, the design of the new branch is based on a combination of ideas inspired by nature and the use of the lastest technology.
The entrance is particularly noteworthy, where customers will find spectacular immersive screens, occupying a total area of 150 square metres and displaying images of natural landscapes to welcome them in. When arriving at the “all in one” branch, the goal is for customers to feel as if they have entered an “urban oasis”, completely different to the typical setting in commercial spaces.
The design is topped off with innovative technological services, such as ATMs that allow customers to make withdrawals using facial recognition and without having enter their PIN. The ATM has the hardware and software necessary to capture an image of the user's face and validate up to 16,000 control points on it, thus guaranteeing completely secure identification. This technology offers a better user experience and increased security during transactions, as it streamlines the customer identification process and allows customers to make withdrawals without having to memorise multiple passwords.
CaixaBank is the world's first financial institution to offer this type of ATM. In Valencia, the “all in one” branch will have five terminals with facial recognition.
Services and experiences that go beyond strictly banking
Alongside the visual elements and technology, the “all in one” branch experience is rounded off with a range of services and possibilities that go beyond strictly banking.
To that effect, the “all in one” branch will produce its own content on a myriad of topics in the form of a monthly event calendar. These events will be open to anybody, whether a CaixaBank customer or not.
The initiative has been dubbed CaixaBank Talks and will have its own agora-inspired space in the branch.
CaixaBank, a leader in the innovation of bank branches
Valencia's “all in one” branch is the first of its kind to be opened by CaixaBank in Spain. The financial institution aims to gradually adjust the entire service offer before officially inaugurating the space in September. What's more, the second “all in one” branch is scheduled to open after summer, this time in Barcelona.
For CaixaBank, innovation in the branch service channel has been a constant driving force. In 2015, the company became the first in the sector to opt for a new branch model when creating the “Store” branches. These offered significant innovations both in design (with open spaces and the elimination of barriers between advisers and customers), in the opening hours (uninterrupted from morning to evening) and in the service model (featuring advisers specialising in the different areas of private banking).
Currently, this concept already applies to more than 350 branches across Spain, with 20 throughout the Valencian Community and 7 in the city of Valencia.
Furthermore, CaixaBank has also opted for innovation in its physical spaces with the imaginCafé. This space occupying 1,200 square metres is located in Barcelona and is inspired by the values of the imaginBank brand, the mobile-only bank created by CaixaBank for young people. The imaginCafé, open since 2017, offers a robust activity programme and has been set up as a platform for online and offline contents.
