While many banks are shutting down branches, Bank of America is adopting a “high-tech, high-touch” strategy, which will result in the addition of 350 branches, or what it calls “financial centers,” across the country over the next two years.
Once these new financial centers are opened by 2021, “our network will provide coverage for more than 90% of the U.S. population,” said Brian Moynihan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BofA, during today’s first-quarter earnings call.
As a part of the new strategy, the new financial centers will be 100% contactless-enabled, Moynihan noted. During the first quarter of 2019, the bank opened 15 new centers, bringing the total number of branches to 4,353.
The bank started renovating its financial centers a little over a year ago to create a uniform, seamless customer experience across its various banking platforms. This meant ensuring that the in-person customer experience at a branch or ATM matched the bank’s online experience. It also meant connecting the different banking media to each other. Last year, for instance, BofA introduced a “make an appointment” feature on its mobile app that allows customers to book in-person appointments at a specific time, location and banker of their choice. According to today’s earnings report, BofA had 523,000 digital appointments in the first quarter ending March 31.
Similarly, when customers contact BofA’s call center through its virtual assistant, “Erica,” the call is pre-authenticated. Erica, which BofA rolled out nationwide in June 2017, has completed 39 million interactions since its launch and reported more than 6.3 million users, as of today’s earnings release.
The intersection between physical banking and digital banking – and the opportunities it provides a bank to improve customer experience – is an area that many banks are now waking up to. Portland, Ore.-based Umpqua Bank, for example, introduced “Go-To,” a type of hybrid customer engagement model that connects customers with a dedicated, personal banker through Umpqua’s mobile app. Through the free app, customers can choose their banker based on location, professional background, expertise and personal interests. Using secured text and chat capabilities, customers can interact with their personal banker to resolve issues, explore financial opportunities and receive expertise.
Also Read: BI Ignite 2019: Umpqua’s Go-To Platform Moving to a 24/7 Service, CEO Says
As for BofA’s other digital efforts, the bank reported a 9% YOY increase in active mobile users to 27.1 million, and a 4% YOY increase in digital users to 37 million in 1Q19.
The bank also reported a 6% increase in net revenue to $7.3 billion YOY, and a relatively flat revenue of $23 billion for the quarter.






