ATB Bank launched rebranding process in 2015 with a new brand platform creation. New positioning “ATB — the bank of easy and fast solutions” underlines easy and smooth client service as the company’s main priority.

To communicate new brand platform through bank’s retail space by totally rethinking retail format and launching pilot branches.

Project team visited several ATB branches and analyzed current situation with services, navigation, branding and sales approach. This resulted in a full audit of client experience.

We analyzed client experience and applied customer journey mapping for individual clients and legal entities and for three types of branches: large, medium and small. Each map described detailed customer experience that a client should expect from “the bank of easy and fast solutions”.

We came up with a concept that we called “Space for smooth communication” with five key principles: no barriers, rational space, easy navigation, comfort, optimized client-bank communication. All interior and exterior ideas were to comply with these principles.

Retail space has distinguishable zones for easy navigation. Based on customer need analysis we put faster services closer to an entrance and vice versa. For example, you can pay state taxes on a service desk right next to the entrance while time-consuming processing of mortgage loan takes place in a consulting room in the back.

Each functional zone is communicated by a specific color or material. Banking services – core orange color, waiting zones — neutral warm colors with wooden textures. All layout solutions go in line with the “Space for smooth communication” concept.

“No barrier” principle resulted with open spaces for services and waiting together with application of transparent and half-transparent materials. For easy navigation we developed a communication system that divided customer flow and eased services delivery. For example in large branches we divided the flows of individual clients and legal entities and highlighted relevant navigation and service information depending on the specific flow.

For rational use of space we created module furniture that perfectly fits to any type and size of retail space. We provided measurements and design varieties for each furniture element as well as construction diagrams for production.

We also included technological improvements in client-bank communication: queue management system, digital communication screens integrated in the interior, in-built touch displays in service desks and tables.

All the information needed for creating a branch project can be found in a single guide. We devoted specific chapters to the concept description, branches typology, interior and exterior design principles, navigation and furniture. Each chapter thoroughly covers design logic, provides examples, schemes and links to all models required for execution. Information on materials, their properties and available suppliers is given in the appendix.

We created design projects for three pilot branches in three different Russian cities. Each project includes zoning, flat patterns of floor, walls and ceiling, location of furniture, equipment and navigation elements, models for all navigation elements, exterior design models and signs location. ATB pilot branches based on the “Space for smooth communication” concept will open in the mid of 2018.