Despite the rise of digital banking, retail branches continue to play a crucial role in a customer’s banking journey. Particularly in areas such as wealth management, where individuals expect personalised services regarding their financial matters, or instances where additional assistance are sought after. The interactions a customer has at the retail branch—both with the environment and service staff—can significantly influence their overall banking experience. Hence, the design of the bank becomes a key factor.
From the moment a customer steps into a bank, the interior design sends powerful signals that shape perceptions. This case study examines how SPACElogic redesigned one of Maybank's branches—making it more welcoming, efficient, and technology-enabled.
The Importance of the Retail Banking Customer Experience
A well-executed design strategy can create a unique identity that resonates with customers, fostering trust and leaving a lasting impression. Through thoughtful integration of brand elements, material choices, and spatial planning, banks can curate environments that are both visually appealing and functionally-optimised.
Optimising Operational Efficiency & Cultivating Memorable Experiences
Effective interior design can streamline the customer journey, maximising efficiency and convenience. Well-planned layouts promote seamless traffic flow, reducing bottlenecks and minimising wait times. Additionally, the incorporation of digital signage and self-service kiosks empowers customers, enabling them to navigate the space intuitively and access information effortlessly. Over 50% of consumers switch banks after just one negative interaction, highlighting the importance of consistently delivering seamless experiences.
The Brief and Design Challenges
Design Brief for Bank Interior Design
Maybank Marine Parade branch aimed to align with its new corporate identity while crafting an optimised customer journey. The goal was to create a modern, efficient, and customer-friendly environment that aligns with Maybank’s brand values of openness, collaboration, and customer-centric service; enhancing customer experience.
Through effective space planning, innovative design concepts, and strategic use of materials and technology, we managed to deliver a project that fulfils the current needs of Maybank while ensuring the layout remains adaptable to future needs.
Design Challenges: Space Planning
Effective space planning requires a meticulous approach that involves detailed analysis of the infrastructure, and strategic use of existing features to optimise functionality and cost-effectiveness.
- Optimising Existing Infrastructure: To minimise extensive overhaul, we strategically utilised pre-existing water points and floor traps, reducing plumbing work and construction costs. Structural elements such as columns and pillars were also carefully incorporated into the design, transforming potential constraints into intentional architectural features.
- Tailoring Spaces for Diverse Audiences: As a retail bank catering to both general customers and VIP clients, the design had to accommodate varied expectations. Thoughtful spatial and aesthetic considerations ensured a welcoming yet exclusive environment that met the needs of different clientele.
- Zoning for Efficiency: With the branch needing to cater to a wide range of uses, careful space zoning and room allocation ensured optimised flow and usability for different purposes; from banking halls, to meeting rooms and back of house.
Our Solution: Mapping the Visitor’s Journey
With the retail branch needing to serve multiple needs, special thought was given when designing its spatial layout. To enhance wayfinding within the premise, our team designed intuitive graphics and signage to guide customers to key locations such as self-service kiosks, tele-counters, ATMs, and private banking rooms.
Circulation Plan: To ensure a smooth customer journey, a clear circulation plan was drawn up based on the envisioned touchpoints one is likely to interface with at the branch. The layout was divided into distinct zones (Arrival, Welcome, Express, Assisted, VIP, and Back of House) to streamline navigation and enhance customer experience.
Arrival Zone: Features entrance affixed with Maybank logo, digital posters, accessibility ramps, auto sliding doors and ATMs
Welcome Zone: Includes a greeter counter, digital kiosks and a drop ceiling to delineate the space, with information holders providing customer details.
Express Zone: Houses the banking hall, teller counters, waiting area, seminar space, and a moss wall; creating an efficient space for transactions.
Assisted Zone: Provides universal and Relationship Manager’s (RM) counters with privacy panels, ensuring a comfortable area for personalised banking services.
VIP Zone: Offers a premier lounge with luxurious finishes, TV, feature ceiling panels, RM rooms, and a pantry area for VIP customers.
Back of House (BOH): Includes operational facilities like IT hub, storeroom and staff workstations, all designed for efficiency.
Design Direction that Improves the Customer Journey
By adopting a customer-first approach, SPACElogic created an environment that reflects Maybank's commitment to service excellence and customer satisfaction.
- Colours: A palette that exudes a professional yet welcoming atmosphere was selected. This included calm, neutral tones complemented by the gold accents of Maybank’s brand identity.
- Lighting and Natural Light: With daylight calculations, we were able to determine the placement of workstations and lighting fixtures to enhance luminosity and energy efficiency. Existing windows were used to maximise natural light, with careful placement of lighting to ensure consistency in luminosity across different areas.
- Material Choices: Durable, high-quality materials were selected for different areas, ensuring both aesthetics and longevity.
- Partition: Aligning with the needs of each room, we adopted a mix of tempered glass partitions, operable walls for versatility, and low glass walls across the space
- Ceiling: Gold wavy-patterned ceiling features applied throughout the branch, embodying Maybank’s refreshed corporate identity
- Biophilic elements: To strike a balance between introducing greenery while keeping maintenance minimal, we integrated a moss wall—a feature that enhances both acoustics and aesthetics.
Final Outcome
The Maybank Marine Parade branch reopened its doors in just 8 weeks with a refreshed interior that successfully met its objectives—a sophisticated, functional, and welcoming banking space. The strategic use of existing features, thoughtful material and colour choices, and innovative solutions resulted in an efficient and aesthetically pleasing environment. This project not only enhanced the customer experience but also reinforced Maybank's commitment to excellence and innovation.
Conclusion
By leveraging design psychology and modern interior design principles, we implemented a refreshed banking branch environment with the customer journey at the forefront. Oftentimes, subtle design choices can enhance interactions and experiences—we are proud to have crafted an environment where interior design goes beyond aesthetics to enable connections, build trust and foster loyalty.