FDIC Chief Economist Richard Brown says that “this thesis…that we have mobile banking and high-tech banking, therefore the branch offices are dinosaurs and going away appears to be substantially overstated.” ATMs never replaced tellers when they came online as predicted by many pundits, and now mobile can’t possibly replace them either.
It is a safe bet that branches will shrink in size over time and become more sales oriented versus transaction oriented, but the fact remains that branches remain crucial touchpoints for acquiring new members and doing more business with existing ones.
Key Takeaway: Your members still want to visit your branches, so make it as easy as possible for them to do so – allow them to make appointments with your staff at the most convenient time and location of their choice.