Barclays and ASDA to pilot in-store bank branches

ASDA and Barclays have today announced plans to open new-style bank branches within Asda stores.

Four pilot bank branches will open from February 2014.

Steve Cooper, head of Barclays retail and business bank, said: “We’ve spoken to our customers who use our everyday and business banking services in our branches and they’ve told us their time is precious so would benefit from being able to multi-task, park easily and visit branches with longer opening hours. This partnership with Asda means they can do their food shop and bank at the same time, with the opportunity for a new flexible banking experience in a way that’s most convenient for our customers.”

Karen Hubbard, executive director for property and multichannel at Asda, said: “This is the next step in the evolution of how we continue to make our stores relevant to our customers’ everyday needs, giving them access to banking services to use at their convenience – when they want, and how they want it.

“Access to banking services is an under-rated but important asset to any community but in many areas, these services just aren't available to families. In partnership with Barclays, we’ll trial banking services in our stores for the communities which need it the most.”

The new branches within Asda will be available to all new and existing Barclays customers. Barclays colleagues will be on hand to support customers during traditional opening hours. Outside of these hours, the new branches will host new technology to allow customers to carry out regular transactions such as paying in cash and cheques, paying bills, withdrawing and transferring money.

Steve Cooper from Barclays added: “We are constantly reviewing the way we work to ensure we can deliver a service that is shaped around what our customers want, offering them choice, flexibility and a seamless banking experience. Our ambition is that by 2017, we will have an innovative and sustainable future proof suite of branches that exist alongside a choice of ways our customers can contact us, so they will feel they can do things quicker and more effectively.”

The first branch will be opened in Asda Birchwood in Cheshire in February 2014. A further three branches will open in Asda stores in Pudsey in West Yorkshire, North Watford in Hertfordshire and Broadstairs in East Kent, with the aim to extend the pilot to open eight in total by early 2014.

Source : Ellie Newton-Syms - TheBusinessDesk.com
www.thebusinessdesk.com/yorkshire/news/539527-asda-and-barclays-team-up-to-add-banking-services-to-weekly-shops.html