Smart and Savvy Interior Merchandising

Not all retail practices apply directly to financial institutions but many lessons can be learned from their creative solutions to attract attention, communicate with their customers, and refresh their spaces.


Land’s End Table Toppers – inexpensive and effective, flat cardboard printed on two sides, quick easy change outs.








Bath & Body Board – sandwich board done right! taller and professional (could be a dry erase board…).










Mobile Kiosk – branded, collapsible, mobile, holds brochures, 8.5x11 and 22x28…isn’t that everything you need?

Surprise and Delight

Word-of-mouth is arguably the most effective form of marketing. There is little your organization can do to control this form of communication, but there is a simple way of encouraging lots of positive chatter.

Expressing your brand personality to connect with customers, and most importantly to Surprise and Delight them will create the brand affinity needed to tell others about. Think of the last WOW moment you had a retailer or a restaurant you visited – something you didn’t expect but made your experience more memorable. Did you tell anyone about it? Chances are you did.

“Personality is the unique, authentic, and talkable soul of your brand that people can get passionate about.” - Rohit Bhargava in Personality not included

The concept of Surprise and Delight is not a new one (it has been famously used by Starbucks for years), but I have not heard or read about many examples in the financial services arena. Financial institutions are known to have a certain facelessness and lack personality.

By developing a program to rally your employees around and allow them to express a little of your defined brand personality will create deeper connection with your customers and employees. Think how powerful it would be if the next interaction your customer has with your brand left them with a big smile and a story to tell (a positive one).

Your Retail Challenge: Small things can even do the trick, think about the ways you could surprise and delight your customers. To get the ideas flowing consider aspects of a branch visit:

• How are visitors to your branch greeted?


• Could you do something to improve the waiting experience?


• What are you doing to say Thank you for their business?


• What is the last thing someone sees when leaving your branch?


• What is the Drive-Thru experience like?

Also, consider special events, like customer birthdays or account anniversaries.

Some Favorites:
Personality not included by Rohit Bhargava
Creating Customer Commitment in Retail from Aberdeen Group
The Consumerist Where Shoppers Bite Back

Distinctive and Unique Exterior Branding

Leading retailers leverage their physical presence to make a statement and show some personality. Banks need to get better at making their mark.

PUMA Banner-scape – Strategically hung banners reveal the distinctive mark to passers-by.






Burberry Plaid Windows – Their clientele can instantly recognize the distinctive pattern from afar.






Apple Cut-Out – No name needed to know where you are.








Ralph Lauren Awnings – RL knows how to accessorize with style.

Becoming a Brand of Choice

Authenticity and relevancy are the driving forces behind most of today's purchasing decisions. No longer are the availability of goods, or the quality of service enough to gain and maintain market share.

"I like that, I am like that."
- Virginia Postrel in The Substance of Style

Consumers are looking for brands that they can personally associate with. They want to see themselves in the offering and be proud to align themselves with the brand.

The quest to become a 'brand of choice' requires an honest reflection on the heritage of an organization and the goods and services it can authentically offer. In order to be true to your customers, you must be true to yourself.

The retail channel, the place where consumers tangibly interact with your goods and services, provides an incredible opportunity to render an authentic experience that connects directly with their hearts and minds.

All aspects of your place should reflect the brand and values of the organization. Layout, décor, communications and staff interactions all contribute to the experience and influence the perception visitors have of your organization.

Your Retail Challenge: Gather a cross-functional team and discuss these questions to determine if you are rendering an experience that is authentic and relevant:

• Are your retail locations true to your brand attributes?
• Are branch staff effective ambassadors of your brand?
• Does the retail experience connect with visitors on a personal level?
• What one thing could you change in your branches to make the experience more authentic and relevant?

Some Inspiration:
Authenticity: What Consumers Really Want by Jim Gilmore & Joe Pine
The Substance of Style by Virginia Postrel
NikeID where customers can customize offerings to conform to their own self-image (creating products that are authentic and relevant)

Close the Back Door

While attracting new customers, it is vital to keep your eyes on the back door.

The American Bankers Association reports the average U.S. bank has an attrition rate of 12 to 15%—and some as high as 25%!

In today's competitive environment, efforts to keep the customer should be as well planned as programs designed to attract them in the first place. The best way to improve the probability of loyalty is by increasing the depth of the relationship. Studies show the more products a consumer has with your organization the less likely they are to defect over time.

Since the majority of accounts are still opened or closed in the retail branch the importance of a thoughtfully designed space that exposes visitors to all lines of business and instills a sense of comfort and trust is at an all time high.

Remember, your competitors are trying to get your customers, what are you doing to keep them? Which leads me to…

Your Retail Challenge: Tour some of your branches and discover what the branch environment and personnel are doing to cross-sell and deepen the relationship.

Some Inspiration:
Mavericks at Work by William C. Taylor & Polly LaBarre
Customer Experience Management from Aberdeen Group
Customer Relationship Snapshot: Banks from Forrester Research

Get Retail Ready

Much has been written on the topics of engagement and experience in the retail environment (links to some favorites are listed below). However, in this edition of RETAIL READY we take a look at the basic fundamentals needed to create an environment conducive to great experiences.

Atmosphere — retail branches should be an inviting and familiar place where visitors feel comfortable dealing with their financial affairs. The branch should make a statement about your brand, much like your home makes a statement about who you are. Are your branches clean, well organized and free of clutter? Is the exterior well lit and maintained? Are the messages consistent with your brand?

Attitude — the manner in which a visitor is greeted and assisted will also dictate the impression they leave the branch with and spread around to their friends and family. Branch staff need to be ambassadors of your brand and continually trained on how to ensure visitors leave feeling appreciated for their business.

Remember, your visitor is going to have an experience — whether you plan one, or not. Which leads me to...

Your Retail Challenge: Visit a few of your branches this week (unannounced) and view them through the eyes of a typical branch visitor. Are your branches Retail Ready?

Some Favorites:
Human Sigma by John H. Fleming, Ph.D., Gallup Consulting
Retail Bank Customer Satisfaction Ratings from J.D. Power
The 6 Laws of Customer Experience by Bruce Temkin, Forrester Research