Article

PNC branches out - in a small way

Pint-sized PNC branch could play a big role in helping determine what sites and services work for customers.

September 13, 2013 by Suzanne Cluckey — Owner, Suzanne Cluckey Communications

In August, Pittsburgh-based PNC Bank dropped its first all-digital pop-up branch on the sidewalk for a three-month stint at Atlantic Station, the mixed-use center occupying the former brownfield site of the Atlantic Steel Mill.

The 8-by-20-foot, 8,000-pound steel structure is designed to provide "a convenient and technologically advanced banking alternative for customers," PNC said.

To that end, the bank is open seven days a week and includes a Diebold Inc. "smart" ATM that's available 24/7 and includes functionality for check-cashing or deposit, cash deposit, and cash withdrawals — including $1 bills.

PNC believes that the pop-up will help it gauge the need for a permanent banking location or other banking services near Atlantic Station, eliminating some of the guesswork inherent in branch siting.

Besides the pop-up rollout, PNC has also debuted two other test branches in Pennsylvania this summer. A "Solution Center" in Malvern features:

an open floor plan sans teller counters to invite customer interaction;
video conferencing capabilities to serve customers who need more complex banking consultation;
a "Discovery Table" with touch-screen computers and iPads for demonstrations; and
five "smart" ATMs.

A "Mini E-Branch" in Pittsburgh features a downsized footprint — at 2,100 square feet, just a little more than half the size of a traditional branch — and is located in a "tech-friendly" development area that includes one of 20 Google U.S. offices.

The electronic branch is staffed by two banking specialists with iPads for demos and is equipped with a "Discovery Bar" for product information, and two smart ATMs for self-service banking.

All of the new PNC branch templates PNC's share one underlying objective: to take financial services where the customers are.

"Branch convenience to home remains the No. 1 reason that consumers choose their primary bank, but they are using branches very differently today," said Todd Barnhart, executive vice president of branch banking at PNC Bank.

"When it comes to major financial decisions, most customers want a face-to-face conversation, so our emphasis is more on in-depth conversations vs. routine transactions, which can usually be done via our ATMs, online or mobile options."

Watch a time-lapse deployment of the PNC pop-up branch in this video:

Read more about installation and deployment.

About Suzanne Cluckey

Suzanne’s editorial career has spanned three decades and encompassed all B2B and B2C communications formats. Her award-winning work has appeared in trade and consumer media in the United States and internationally.

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