The Valrico branch is the first of its kind in Florida, made to feel more like a techno-savvy neighborhood store.
By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER
Published September 26, 2003
VALRICO - The clues are everywhere, hints that the new Bank of America on Lithia-Pinecrest Road represents a significant departure from impersonal ATMs, sterile lobbies and stonefaced tellers.
When customers enter the week-old branch in the Lithia Crossing plaza, they see a comfy seating area, a large television and a wall filled with financial magazines and colorful children's books.
The front corner of the $2.5-million branch, whose exterior is more retail store than bank, is set aside for a children's play area.
An electronic palm scanner gives customers access to their safe deposit boxes, and a self-serve kiosk allows them to look up their latest transactions. If they need help, a phone rings directly to the Charlotte-based bank's customer service department.
Branch staff call themselves "hosts" and greet arrivals with warm smiles and offers of help.
"Good morning! Welcome to Bank of America."
Welcome to the new Bank of America.
The Valrico branch is the first of its kind in Florida and one of 18 planned for the Tampa area, as part of Bank of America's plans to make its branches feel more like techno-savvy neighborhood stores.
"Each of us who works here want to make a connection with each of our customers, so they feel, "This is my personal banker,"' said branch manager Maria Jose Fashoro, who like the rest of the staff lives minutes away. "We want to give them that neighborhood feel."
Between now and 2005, the nation's largest consumer bank will dot the United States with a total of 550 new branches like the one in Valrico - a $1.5-billion investment targeted to fast-growing cities like Las Vegas, Dallas, Miami and Chicago.
In the Tampa market, Bank of America's $53-million investment will include branches already planned in Wesley Chapel, Lutz and New Port Richey.
Bank of America started testing the strategy two years ago with a "prototype" banking center in Atlanta. The bank was a lab of sorts, where the company tried out various customer service approaches and technologies.
"Once we figured out what worked and what customers wanted, we came up with this," said Amanda Malcolm, spokeswoman for the Charlotte-based bank, which has 4,200 locations nationwide.
"This" is an open, airy floor plan without clunky desks. Instead, there are three kiosks - the self-help station and two "host" stations where bank personnel can help customers. The furniture in the seating area can be easily moved to make way for seminars on mortgages and investing.
The design is meant to serve both customers who want to linger, and those who want to get out fast.
Mike Sells travels the country for his work, and he has been at lots of Bank of America branches in lots of cities.
But the New Mexico resident, here since January to work on Tampa Bay Water's regional reservoir project, was taken aback Monday morning when he walked inside the new Bank of America.
"It kind of makes it nice," Sells said. "You feel real comfortable when you walk in the door."
