Creating an improved customer experience with sales through service in retail banking – Allied Irish Bank

The Opportunity

AIB has a strong digital tradition boasting the highest level of customer digital adoption in the banking sector in Ireland. As part of the strategy to leverage this area of strength, AIB launched a transformation programme that involved redesigning their retail branches and introducing new technology to make life easier and faster for customers.

Providing branch colleagues with iPads has enabled them to come out from behind the counter and support customers with the help and advice they need. The challenge was to ensure the retail teams could embrace the new branch layout, new technology, new ways of working and focus on giving customers a more personal, relevant and helpful service.

The Solution

• We were charged with designing and delivering a two-day workshop to be attended by all branch management teams. A one day workshop was designed for front line branch colleagues.
• The whole Retail population – 3,000 in all – attended the training that was delivered over a six month period
• The objective of the training was to enable colleagues to:
  • Make the banking experience easier for customers
  • Provide improved advice and expertise
  • Show that AIB cares about customers and their financial future
• The training was developed to ensure it was fun, engaging, relevant and motivating. These design principles are key in any training where the goal is to effect – and sustain – behavioural change that people own for themselves

The Results - Client Testimonial

The programme has had a significant positive impact. Our branch colleagues are engaging with a higher proportion of customers and achieving improved outcomes for those customers. Our branch teams are highly motivated, customer satisfaction scores have improved and our financial results are on an upward trajectory.

Denis O'Callaghan, Head of Retail Distribution