Before location and branch design decisions are made take a step back and look at where you want to be in five or 10 years. Because the decisions you’re making now have a massive effect on what your credit union is able to do in the future.

A thorough and collaborative approach ensures the new Vancity Chinatown Community branch would serve the neighbourhood’s diverse and robust community now and in the years to come. As prime consultant, our RATIO team was responsible for the planning and design of this tenant improvement project.  The interior design embraces natural light and circular shapes acknowledged in both Indigenous cultures and Feng Shui principals.

It wasn’t organizational challenges that drove Aldergrove Credit Union  (ACU) to embark on a new branch design; it was opportunity.  As a new branch in a new building in a new community, an opportunity arose for RATIO to integrate corporate goals into the branch design.

RATIO principal, Chris Pollard was interviewed for Enterprise Magazine, published by the Canadian Credit Union Association for his thoughts on future-proofing credit union branch design. Credit Unions are adapting their branches to address usage shifts as a result of technology; now and for the future. Chris shares thoughts on scalability, member insights and community profiling.

Recently released,  a global branch design report features 25 case studies from around the world including RATIO’s work for Island Savings. Published by a banking intelligence provider, Lafferty Group, the report is titled Digital Branch Design: Presence, Openness and Intimacy. Read on for a look at the published case study and more about the report.

Vancity’s new Maillardville branch reflects this credit union’s commitment to community and sustainability. As a LEED v4 registered Commercial Interior project, the space meets design criteria from healthy building materials to advanced energy metering and water conservation. Learn more about how RATIO and Vancity worked to create a unique, customer-friendly community credit union branch.

Today, October 19 is International Credit Union day. This is a shout out to the credit unions in our communities for their ongoing service pledge to their members and communities. The RATIO team has been privileged to work with credit unions for over 50 years.

Whether you call it ‘ future-proofing,’ ‘The Bionic Bank’ or ‘The Bank of Now’, they all refer to the strategic redefinition of the physical branch.  It means ensuring they meet needs of changing populations, providing centres of advice for life’s milestone moments.  People want face to face service for high-value transactions like small business loans, mortgages and life insurance.

The ‘Branch of the Future’ is member-focused and can adapt to changing demographics and expectations. Overcoming the disruption in the retail financial services sector requires insight and innovative thinking. Credit Unions have much to consider as they plan for the future. The so-called Branch of the Future is not a singular response, but an integrated solution that is customer centric and community relevant for each credit union brand. We offer some thoughts on how to plan for the Branch of the Future.

For us, the Branch of the Future is more than just a change in decor. It is our understanding of the business, how to serve customers better, how to integrate technology in-branch in a customer-friendly way, and how to create high-value transactions that allows us to create a path to the Branch of the Future.

Retail banking design decisions must meet the challenges financial service organizations face to align new or revamped branches with brand, values, service and trust. See our list of 18 design trends for financial service retail branches……

Design decisions in new or revamped financial institution retail branches must do two things well: 1) Clearly communicate the organization’s overarching ethos and services and 2) build trust by understanding and reflecting local values. We’ll illustrate with 3 projects, show how retail banking branch design trends support service delivery and share the design trends we are seeing.

New direction, new images of community-focused credit union branch for Community Savings. Our concept for a 1400 sq ft community credit union branch delivers intimate, member-dedicated spaces allowing for more personal interactions in comfort and privacy.

Empowering members to reach financial goals drives RATIO’s design decisions for updated Community Savings branches. Intimate, member-dedicated spaces allows for more personal interactions in comfort and privacy. The impetus for this new space was to create a vibrant and supportive environment in keeping with Community Savings’ ethos of empowering people in the working community with advice that is in their best interest.

RATIO’s credit union clients, Island Savings and Salmon Arm Savings & Credit Union were 2 of the featured banking branch design concepts in the Financial Brand’s international photo showcase.

The only credit union on the 2015 LEED Platinum certification list, Vancity’s Mount Tolmie Community Branch delivers a high-performance green interior that is a healthy, productive place to work with a reduced environmental footprint. RATIO acted as the prime consultant and was responsible for the planning and design of the of the 5000 square foot Mount Tolmie Community Branch space that resulted in a LEED Platinum for Commercial Interiors rating.

There is disruption occurring in banking, specifically around retail branch design and technology. The branch of the future is both high tech and high touch. A recent story in the Globe and Mail gives great examples of what is happening in the Big 5 banks that have become more technologically savvy with more services online, but still delivering high value personal services in branch. Branches that now offer a different personality than one may have found in recent past. Think open, transparent and welcoming with fewer counters and smaller spaces. Here in BC, where credit unions are a significant part of the financial services landscape and our communities, RATIO has seen an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit evident in branch design and service delivery.