Customer experience has always been at the core of every business. However, the finance sector has taken it to another level in the last decade. This has been achieved through catering customer’s needs and finding innovative ways to enhance the experience in and out of the bank/accountancy firm/building.
Digital transformation has played a big part in the innovation, and so has signage.
From customer service and back-office point of view, signage solutions come as a great way to deliver timely and relevant information to customers visiting a financial institution.
The financial sector was among the first sectors to deploy digital signage. They continually invest in these solutions to facilitate their communications with their customers.
>> Importance of Signage in Financial Sector
According to our research, one of the main objectives of this industry is to upsell to their customers and/or finding additional opportunities to engage with them in a way that brings more financial benefits to the institution.
This is why signage plays an important role inside a financial institution; starting from the entrance signage (internally and externally), directional signage and digital screen displays – to name a few.
Some of the advantages of using signage in the financial sector:
- Promotion of products and services
- Increased interaction
- Easier Navigation
- Effective Communication
- Display Bank Information and Offers
- Connect with your Community
>> Types of Signage Used in Financial Sector
1. Wayfinding Signage
It can be easily implemented at the entrance and exits, using acrylic signs, hanging signs, banners or wall graphics to direct customers to the offices. Signage helps customers to navigate around the building easily, without having to ask staff.
Should the customers or business partners follow the in-branch signs attentively they will more likely be able to reach a destination where the bank or the financial institution has a person or a machine with the right capabilities and authority to advise or make a transaction.
Not only does high-quality wayfinding signage benefit to customers and partners, but it also makes your internal structure more coherent, efficient, and organised.
2. Digital Signage
As the financial services industry continues to evolve, digital signage has become an integral part of the customer experience, allowing the financial sector to tailor branch operations with a high-quality level of personalisation.
When a financial organisation like a bank or accountancy firms offers reliable information and services in a timely fashion, people tend to trust it.
>> How has digital signage transformed the finance industry:
Whether it is accessing their own account, making a transaction, or viewing other features such as maps or building directories, self-service digital touch screens are a quick and efficient way to improve customer experience.
- Queue handling
The possibility of creating different working spaces in the screens allows to integrate with a queue management system and to show relevant content to the customers waiting to be served.
- Social Media
A great way to showcase your bank’s social media is through a feed on a digital signage display. It is also a great way to get your customers involved with the bank through likes, tweets, shares and more.
- Improving interaction
Highlight the community projects you have been involved in wall-mounted displays. Include corporate social responsibility initiatives to show that making money is not the only thing you care about.
Connect with your customers on a personalised level by displaying local events, weather status, fun facts about the branch, and more.
- Educate customers
During the time visitors are in your branch get them up to speed on the latest interest rates, checking account prices, and other useful information by scheduling out content with the click of a button.
Along with providing information about interest rates and so forth, engaging digital displays and content can help shorten perceived wait time, making the trip to your institution a more enjoyable experience.
3. Safety Signage
Health and safety signs must be clearly visible throughout the building. Banks and all other financial institutions use the main safety signs such as fire alarms, emergency exit, risk of fire, no smoking areas, warnings etc.
>> The different locations where you should have signage:
- Front of building
High-impact, brief, product- and brand-building content is displayed on the store-front and fixed to the exterior of the building, enabling messages to be more visible.
Creates ‘’a call-to-action’’ for the people to visit the building or institution’s website for more information.
- Welcome area
A variety of welcoming signs or a digital sign located at the entrance of an organisation can offer valuable information and guidance to visitors.
- Counters
Having something to watch while customers queue, gives them the impression that their waiting time is shorter, and customers are likely to be better informed.
- Community areas
Additional broadcast screens can be placed in key areas throughout a bank where queuing is likely.
- ATMs (automated teller machine)
Incorporating screens into ATMs while customers wait to receive their money enables banks to convey messaging to additional customers, who rarely go inside.
Users spend only a few moments at an ATM, thus messages must be focused and targeted.
>> New solutions for 2021
With many places of work re-opening regulations are still in place for this sector, just like for the majority of the sectors. Protecting staff and customers during COVID-19 is the main priority for every organisation.
To fulfil the above duties, our team at Hardy Signs offer the below products:
- Safety Screens and Sneeze Guards
- Queue Management Signage
- Social Distancing Floor Graphics
- Sanitiser Stations and notices
- LCD Hand Sanitiser Digital Displays
For more information read: 10 Steps to Selecting Your Covid – 19 Signage Essentials
>> Conclusion:
The challenge for financial organisations is how to connect with and educate clients in a rapidly changing landscape.
Customers aren’t the only ones to benefit when an accountancy firm or bank uses and updates signage in their building. The institution itself benefits from lower costs and higher engagement and satisfaction rates.
Help your branch to build a sense of trustworthiness with your client, as Ernst & Young says, ‘Trust: without it, you’re just another bank’.
Stay tuned to read more about signage in other sectors here >>
