Does your bank welcome your dog with a treat when you take it in your local branch? Do your kids get a warm welcome and a lollipop when they go in? What do you mean, you never take them in (the kids or the dog!)?
Well, you probably do if you’re a Metro Bank customer because they are totally dog and child friendly and build this into their whole approach to ‘remarkable’ customer service!
Metro Bank is the UK’s first new high street bank for over 100 years and it certainly seems to be making an impact with its Dramatically and Demonstrably Different approach!
Their open plan branches don’t have bullet proof security glass, stay open outsie of working hours in the evenings and on Sundays! There are free pens, lollipops for kids, biscuits for dogs and a magic money machine that counts and sorts all your saved change for you!
They actively welcome your dogs (and kids!). Here’s a quote from their website:
“We understand how important man’s best friend is to our dog-loving customers so we actively welcome dogs into our bank. We even have a selection of dog goodies when you visit, including fresh water bowls and dog treats.
We are all about convenience and being a dog-friendly bank is part of this. Bring your dog in when you next visit – we’d love to meet them!”
It’s a great 3D example (One of our 100 Examples!) and certainly seems to be ‘hitting the spot’! The business set up in London in 2011 and already has 10 branches and 60,000 customers! The 11th opens next week and they are on target for 200 by the year 2020!
It’s not just about ‘gimmicks’ – they are ‘easy to buy from’ – it only takes 15 minutes to open a full account with debit and credit cards!
“Britons are dying for revolution in the banking business, focused on service, and we are here to provide it.” says co-founder Vernon Hill who has opened 500 plus similar banks in the United States.
Metro Bank believes that success involves creating and UBER culture through ‘fanatical execution’ which means huge ‘over – investment’ in facilities and people. This includes:
- Establishing very clear expectations of their people (Buy In or Opt Out’!) (We call that FIFO!)
- Empowering people (One Person To Say ‘Yes’, Two People To Say ‘No’!)
- Encouraging staff to challenge things that don’t work (No ‘Stupid Rules’!)
- Effective monitoring of performance (Over 100,000 ‘mystery shops’!)
And finally, they ‘reward’ the behaviours and performance they want – staff rewards are linked to customer service levels, not sales!
So, if a bank can do it, what’s stopping you?
(This is 3D idea number #7 in our 3D Challenge search for 100 ideas!)
