Project Overview
Not just another bank, Suncorp set out to challenge the orthodox ‘branch’ and shape the retail experience around the customer with a focus on a ‘needs led’ rather than a ‘product lead’ environment. The Suncorp store in Paramatta Sydney breaks down the paramaters of traditional banking and creates a place where customers feel welcome and unintimidated about their financial needs. Embracing customer interests transforms the in store conversation, from an ‘us and them’ approach to a more collaborative and empowering experience, supporting both the staff and customers in achieving their financial goals.
The Suncorp store introduces a new working philosophy; with staff no longer bound by desks and tellers. This is a place that embraces untethered conversations, flexible environments and integrates Suncorp’s variety of brands. With retail foundations at its core, the environment provides a canvas to present different program of events plus actives relating to local and changing customer needs.
The store supports live, in-store events, lifestyle workshops and seminars. The result is a destination that implements Suncorp's new corporate and brand strategy - to build a better experience rather than a quicker one.
The creative process challenged both traditional and current design decisions, in a highly collaborative and transparent process utilising evidence rather than trend-based design decisions. The outcome delivers a truly relevant and future-proofed retail banking environment, that has delivered success for customers, staff and the client.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Tim Giles, Rebecca Daff, Ramoncito Siccion, Polly Schofield, Mark Talbot, Carli Popplewell
Project Brief
Defying the ‘faster, leaner’ model many financial services address, the approach with Suncorp was to increase dwell time - not reduce it. Interactive displays, recharging stations, refreshments, breakout spaces and r entertainment areas support an experience beyond banking and deliver an immersive experience for the customer.
The materiality approach is a direct translation of Suncorp’s re-brand. This resulted in an environment that inspires and delights customers, with the goal of helping them in areas that can be confusing, complex and intimidating. A key attribute was in making the space relaxed, non-corporate and easy to overcome procrastination and apathy about their financial future.
Natural and fresh tones, sound, air quality and lighting, were integrated as part of the process. Residential tones provide a familiarity and relaxed feel creating a visually appealing store where customers are comfortable to dwell.
Project Innovation/Need
The Suncorp team embraced an agile work-process and broad group of consultants (internal and external) from day one, to address a holistic approach. This enabled operational, security, business and spatial challenges plus new thinking to be resolved within a compact time frame.
The store is a sign of how financial services are proactively rethinking their retail outlets, as customers embrace mobile and digital banking for simple transactional banking.
De-emphasising traditional banking and financial retail solutions shifted the converstation of the store design to a more truly retail experience. Placing ATM’s at the rear of the store, instead of the ubiquetis shopfront approach, enabled the opportunity for a more enticing, open and transparent shopfront. Showcasing the social, interactive space and blurring the threshold, invites customers into the store and delivers an increase in store visitation, from both existing and new cutomers.
The removal of traditional tellers completely whilst embracing technology and innovative design achieved in locating these transaction points in more relaxed positions throughout the store. The use of discreet and considered locations enables the blending of work positions in every area, supporting a greater utitlisation of the space. This approach provides opportunites for alternative touchpoints to be created, from the ‘kitchen table’ to ‘conversation pods’ or open agile pop-up zones. Overall the environment assists the the customer and staff in carrying out everyday tasks and transaction ‘where and how’ the customer desires, rather than being dictated to by static ‘form & function’. Every space within Suncorp’s new retail environment is considered a place to exchange.
Design Challenge
The design brings together solutions and services from across Suncorp’s brands, to help customers with life's key financial decisions. Interactive formats that individually and collectively assist staff and customers across Suncorp’s services, brands and third party products.
A digital ‘showcase’ wall and discovery tools connect customers to new solutions. Suncorp staff use digital devices, making financial opportunities clearer, choice narrower and action easy.
A key design challenge lay in the banking branch security which was a priority that needed to be achieved whilst enabling agile work practices within an open and transparent environment. Clear and transparent design thinking in collaboration with all stakeholders achieved a store safe for staff and customers.
Sustainability
The store’s test and learn ethos enables a continued evolution of the space, addressing real-time shifting customer needs and tying into local events. An agile environment with modular components enables easy rearrangement, providing the ability to trial new concepts with customers and make changes based on their feedback before introducing them in other locations with no impact on cost, waste or construction.
Indoor plants improve air quality and mood. All timber applications within the project and during construction works are re-used recycled or sustainable timbers. Paints, adhesives, sealants and carpets are low VOC. Engineered wood products are low formaldehyde. All joinery was simplified to reduce material quantity and waste during construction. Track lighting was utilised to enable flexibility and reduce waste. This sustainable approach set a new bench mark for Suncorp and laid the foundations for all future retail environments across its network.
A full scale cardboard store prototype was constructed in lieu of a prototype or MDF store, which helped to support operational change and stakeholder sign off with in the compact program – the prototype was able to be demounted and flat packed to travel interstate to different locations when the client required, reducing the need of creating additional mock stores in additional states.
Interior Design - Retail
This award celebrates innovative and creative building interiors, with consideration given to space creation and planning, furnishings, finishes and aesthetic presentation. Consideration given to space allocation, traffic flow, building services, lighting, fixtures, flooring, colours, furnishings and surface finishes.
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