2 minutes
This is bonus coverage from “No Crystal Ball” from the March 2015 issue of Credit Union Management magazine.
According to Bob Saunders, a credit union’s “kit of parts” is the “finish palette” of a CU’s branch prototype, the basic branch concept the credit union uses to drive brand consistency and performance efficiency throughout its network of locations.
The kit of parts “consists of a set of specific design elements and components the credit union can apply to the design of any retail branch or store at any stage of occupancy,” says Saunders, EVP/partner in Momentum, a plan-design-build firm with offices in Seattle and Pittsburgh. “Whether it’s the renovation of a legacy branch or the construction of a new retail branch, the credit union will apply the same kit of parts.”
Credit unions trying to define a branch prototype will be able to choose from 25 to 30 different basic configurations, offers Paul Seibert, CMC, principal/financial and retail design, in CUES Supplier member EHS Design, a NELSON Company, Seattle. This makes the kit of parts all the more important. With the kit of parts, the prototype will be as distinctive as the CU’s mission, members and staff. A CU’s kit of parts also makes facilities easier to maintain.
As the summation of all working parts within the branch prototype, the kit of parts should address:
- brand image and awareness;
- workflow, staff engagement, and member transactions;
- safety and security means and methods;
- such technology components as ATMs, enhanced ATMs, cash recyclers and cash management;
- interior finishes and furniture solutions;
- exterior design elements and finish materials;
- merchandising, digital messaging, and signage; and
- audio/visual and communication equipment.
“For us, it’s a toolbox that works for every location ranging in size from 1,500 to 4,500 square feet,” explains Fred Cook, chief information officer for $3.5 billion/40,000-member BlueShore Financial, N. Vancouver, British Columbia. “It integrates our business processes and workflow to create the member journey.”
One version of BlueShore Financial's kit of parts is an online document for staff. Entitled “The Financial Spa Experience,” it clarifies the brand and member journey.
Cook says that by adhering to the value proposition delivered by the prototype and kit of parts, a CU can differentiate itself from the competition. “As you retool, you will develop new strategies and delivery methods, and find new ways to better serve your members.”
With 25 years of marketing and communications experience, Stephanie Schwenn Sebring established and managed the marketing departments for three CUs. As owner of Fab Prose & Professional Writing, her focus is assisting CUs and industry suppliers with their communications needs.
