After a Bank Branch Unexpectedly Closes, PNC Proves What It Means to Meet Customers Where They Are

The only PNC Bank branch in Sandusky, Ohio was heavily damaged last week when a 32-year-old man plowed his truck into it. The driver suffered a medical episode that caused him to lose control of his GMC truck, sending it careening over a curb, through a snow-covered area, across a six-lane road, and through the front of the branch.

The driver sustained minor injuries. The branch was closed indefinitely, which left Sandusky’s PNC customers without a nearby PNC office to do their banking. The town previously operated three PNC branches, but the other two have closed in recent years.

“We are working to address the situation and ensure the safety of our customers and staff,” bank spokesperson Craig Friedman said in the aftermath of the accident.

But Sanduskians weren’t left without PNC’s services for long. The bank deployed a mobile branch to the parking lot of the Sandusky PNC location. The mobile branch allows customers to access a variety of services, including opening checking accounts and applying for a credit card or loan.

PNC’s quick response to remedy the situation in Sandusky is the latest example of the bank’s commitment to customer service at the branch level.

As technological advances allow customers to complete banking tasks from anywhere in the world, more companies are offering services such as lighting-fast payment transfers. 

But banks such as PNC aren’t forgetting their branch network. Instead, they’re rolling out new strategies to make branch interactions more meaningful than ever.

PNC’s branch strategy for the back half of the 2020s includes opening branches in territories where it can reach more customers and renovating existing branches to create a more welcoming atmosphere. The bank is also focusing on hiring branch staff who have experience in the hospitality industry.

“There’s definitely a need for some industry knowledge, but it’s a mindset,” Jeff Martinez — an Executive Vice President and the Head of Branch Banking for PNC — said in a recent interview discussing the bank’s approach to filling customer-facing branch roles. 

“We want people that are client advocates, that can drive the hospitable environment that we’re looking for, but also have the intellect, the curiosity to help,” Martinez said.

When you envision the interior of a bank branch, you may think of a cold, stark lobby that’s designed to move customers along as efficiently as possible. Historically, many banks placed velvet ropes in front of teller lines to keep customers in an orderly line while waiting for their turn at the teller window. But being herded through a line may not be an experience that leaves customers feeling valued.

Martinez said PNC aims to create a bank branch that invites informal conversations, not just transactional ones. 

“It’s an interaction, advice-centric location that feels hospitable, it feels warm,” Martinez said. “We want a place where people want to go, don’t want to rush out, and that environment is welcoming enough where they may stay for a cup of coffee and conversation, or walking through their entire investment portfolio.”

Other leading banks are following a similar approach. Citibank offers a Manhattan branch that has couches for customers to relax on while waiting to speak with a bank representative. And JPMorgan Chase has renovated 2,300 of its branches in recent years, with plans to update another 1,700 by 2027. 

Not to be outdone, Capital One has introduced Capital One Cafes across the country. The cafes offer craft coffee and spaces where customers can work, similar to what you may see in your favorite coffeehouse. Of course, customers can also open a new account at the cafes or conduct banking transactions, including depositing checks and withdrawing funds.

But it’s not just the largest financial institutions in the country that have moved toward creating a hospitable environment for customers. O Bee Credit Union — based out of Olympia, Washington — offers what it calls “Pub Style Banking”, which features branches with exposed brick walls and neon signage. O Bee Credit Union’s strategy capitalizes on the institution’s origin as the credit union for a local brewery.

Forging personal connections with account holders in branches can increase customer loyalty and spur conversations that lead to product sales.

We caught up with John Nash, Chief Marketing Officer of Redpoint Global, to gauge his opinion on how financial institutions can offer personalized service to customers, whether it’s in the branch or online. 

“What does personalization look like?” Nash said. “For starters, it is providing a consistent experience across all channels. As consumers turn more to digital-first banking, they still expect banks to know who they are as an individual whether engaging online, on a mobile app, at a local branch, or through a call center.”

Change is in the air in the banking industry. A new administration is sure to prompt banks to shift strategies so they can grow while complying with industry regulations. But financial institutions of all sizes are betting that there’s still a place in banking for quality customer service and a branch model that puts the customer first.