Image Credit : All photos taken by Public Design Group
Project Overview
“In it’s first week of trading, this branch has outperformed our No.1 flagship BOQ store on Queen Street Brisbane”.
PHILIPPA BARTLETT
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Dan Cooper
James Hewitt
Jason Pollard
Project Brief
Every design agency dreams of a client like this. When the CEO Stuart Grimshaw tells you in the briefing “If this looks or feels anything like a bank, I’ll walk out!” you know you have a client who wants to change things.
Our brief was simple: "Design an environment that literally pulls new customer enquiry across the lease line - then deliver a customer experience that aligns with our new positioning -
"It's possible to love a bank!"
Project Innovation/Need
"75% of new business written in the first 3 weeks of trading has been from customers who have never had a BOQ product before" Manager - Macquarie Branch
With the only tangible difference between the big four banking experiences being their corporate colour, the opportunity in this market is to create a consumer banking experience that properly addresses customers’ needs.
Thanks to the Mckinsey Group (Banking on customer centricity Nov 2013) customer centricity is now widely recognised in the retail service industry as the model for future success. In terms of retail banking, this means putting the customers’ needs and aspirations before the bank’s operational requirements and their desire to ‘brand’ the branch environment.
BOQ are all about building customer relationships so we designed an environment where customers feel relaxed and happy to start a conversation.
The design was informed by a new service strategy involving a complete overhaul of every service touchpoint within the branch allowing the customer to experience a whole new way of banking on their terms.
Design Challenge
It was less about understanding market needs and more about seeing market opportunity. We have completely re-addressed a category in which brands have been facing their customers in the same way for decades. Designing a bank that is not all about the bank is an Australian first.
High value transactions in any service retail sector typically involve a more complex set of emotional needs that, if responded to well, can lead to higher value sales and increased loyalty.
Research shows that customers discussing complex or high value purchases value acoustic autonomy more than visual privacy. This gave us the opportunity to provide them with a visually striking (private) environment that is commensurate to the potential value of their enquiry.
These rooms also allow the loan writers to be part of the new customer relationship ethos by placing them on the retail floor instead of having them hidden away back of house.
Future Impact
BOQ are entering new states in Australia where they have low brand awareness, so the emphasis on CX design as a customer acquisition tool in these circumstances is high.
We looked at where people hang out and talk, places like the kitchen table and the local café. Allowing customers to be side by side with staff and giving them the choice of where and how they are served has allowed us to emulate these naturally conversational places.
The central table is key to these conversations, it’s a neutral area that clearly says “This space is yours, not ours!” It’s been designed to make approaching the bank easy, intuitive and comfortable.
This part of the environment is full of moments of delight such as the green rabbit or the word board message (updated by staff daily), all essential in building a brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Service - Corporate
This award celebrates creative and innovative solution design for the successful delivery and provision of services. Consideration given to system integration, user experience, product design
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