Technology applications in retail are rapidly evolving and, for some, keeping up with the change is a daunting task. The team at mBank (Warsaw, Poland), however, made it their mission to not only stay at the forefront of digital trends, but to lead the financial industry in the ways it conveniently merges tech and consumer banking.
The company’s primary goal of the design was to make the digital transition easy for all customers, despite previous experience with online banking. mBank launched its first concept store in Łódz´, Poland, where the goal was to make banking more intuitive and engaging.
At the storefront, a large interactive screen entices passersby to enter and uses movement-responsive technology to alert customers of the bank’s latest offers and promotions. Once inside, digital devices are strategically positioned for maximum interaction: 50-inch touchscreens allow customers to browse services; facial-recognition software curates personalized offers based on demographics; and multiple self-service tablets are available for accessing mBank’s online features.
A clean, modern aesthetic was matched to the tech-driven, 800-square-foot space: Its white interior is accented with cheerful pops of color that draw from the bank’s logo. Natural wood veneers and charging stations mimicking a faux lawn provide warm complements to what could be a cold environment.
“The space is arranged so that the customer can feel like they are at home,” says the store’s architect, Katarzyna Domosławksa from ARS Retail+Shopfitting (Warsaw, Poland). Felt wallcoverings, ergonomic chairs in the waiting room and a children’s play area lend to the bank’s cozy feel – a trait absent in many financial institutions.
By putting the customer experience first, mBank’s bold approach to traditional banking matches technology’s evolutionary pace with its consumers’ ever-changing service-customization preferences.
PROJECT SUPPLIERS
Retailer
mBank, Warsaw, Poland
Design
ARS Retail+Shopfitting, Warsaw, Poland
Photography: Grzegorz Śledź, Sol&Moon Photography, Warsaw, Poland