The role of the bank branch is changing. As day-to-day transactions shift to digital channels, physical branches are taking on a more specialised role: offering financial advice, supporting complex decision-making and strengthening customer relationships. In other words, the branch is becoming less of a place where transactions are carried out and more of a space where an experience is enjoyed. This shift alters the way in which its value must be assessed.
For international banks, this evolution raises questions about the size, configuration and performance of their branch networks. Physical proximity remains important, particularly for customers seeking advice on mortgages, guidance on investments or support for their business activities. However, maintaining a local presence requires a clear understanding of each branch’s contribution to the organisation as a whole.
From branch management to network strategy
A banking network comprises branches with different customer profiles, operational requirements and commercial potential. A branch located in a large city may fulfil a different role to one operating in a smaller community. Consequently, the layout of the premises, staff management models and the services required naturally reflect these differences.
In several European markets, banking networks have already shrunk considerably over the last fifteen years, through consolidation and the closure of physical branches. When a retail network is scaled back, the question of the role of each remaining branch and the customers it serves is no longer merely theoretical: it has concrete implications for the accessibility of services across the region, the quality of customer service and the bank’s reputation – not just in terms of costs.
For large banking groups, managing an extensive physical network also means coordinating decisions across different regions, whilst ensuring consistent service standards. This has direct implications for Real Estate and Facility management. Decisions regarding refurbishments, consolidations, relocations and the provision of services must take into account local conditions and the bank’s broader commercial priorities.
A branch’s performance can therefore be assessed using a combination of indicators: space utilisation rates, operating costs, maintenance requirements, customer satisfaction, the number and trend of appointments, the branch’s role within its target market, and the quality of the customer experience it is able to deliver. In networks that have reduced their physical presence, it is also necessary to consider the branch’s contribution to the accessibility of services in the local area and to the bank’s reputation within the local community.
These indicators provide a more comprehensive basis for planning investments than an analysis of property costs alone.
The challenge of information
Banks already generate large amounts of information relating to their property portfolio. The difficulty lies in integrating this information. Data on properties, maintenance records, contracts with suppliers, energy consumption, space utilisation and workplace services are often managed through different systems and organisational functions.
This fragmentation makes it more difficult to compare branches, set investment priorities and assess the performance of the entire network. For Facility Management teams, the challenge is particularly significant. The operational information collected on a daily basis contains valuable data on the condition of assets, the quality of services and the future needs of individual sites.
To ensure this information is reliable and comparable, common data standards, integrated platforms and clearly defined responsibilities are required. Coordination between the bank’s Real Estate, Facility Management and IT functions, as well as its commercial departments, is also essential.
Digital Governance in the banking sector
It is precisely within this context that the eFM Group’s Digital Governance Services model comes into play, linking information on assets, operational processes, suppliers and performance indicators within a shared governance framework.
The approach combines centralised control with local execution. Standards defined at portfolio level set out how information is to be collected, assessed and utilised, whilst operational teams retain the flexibility needed to manage individual sites.
This balance is also reflected in the Group’s own organisation: eFM brings together companies operating in various European and American markets, each with established expertise in their local market.
For banks operating across multiple geographical areas, this balance is crucial. Maintenance requirements, property conditions and client expectations vary from one market to another, but investment decisions must nevertheless be based on consistent criteria. Digital platforms support this process by consolidating information and making it accessible to those responsible for planning, operations and strategic decision-making.
Practical applications include coordinating maintenance, monitoring supplier performance, space planning, asset lifecycle management and prioritising capital expenditure (CAPEX).
Workplace Experience and the Role of Technology
The evolution of banking networks is leading to greater attention being paid to the experience of customers and staff within physical spaces. Private consultation rooms, flexible meeting areas, accessible services and reliable digital infrastructure all contribute to the effectiveness of a branch.
Facility Management contributes directly to creating these conditions by coordinating spaces, technologies and services. eFM’s activities in this area also extend to Workplace Experience Applications, namely digital applications dedicated to managing and enhancing the experience in workplace environments.
For the eFM Group, Workplace Experience forms part of a broader approach to managing the built environment, in which digital tools and operational governance support the needs of people and organisations.
This is precisely the fundamental distinction: the starting point is not the efficiency of a space in itself, but the experience that space must enable. Data and governance processes are at the service of that experience, and not the other way round.
Making network decisions based on better information
The future of physical banking networks will require different approaches depending on the market. Some branches will need investment in new formats and services; others may require consolidation, relocation or adaptation to changing demand. In markets that have already significantly transformed their networks, these are current decisions, not future scenarios.
Reliable data on the property portfolio and consistent governance provide banks with a more solid foundation for making these decisions. For Facility Management, this represents an opportunity to contribute more directly to network planning, service strategy and the long-term performance of physical assets.
The value of an integrated approach ultimately lies in the quality of the decisions it enables: understanding where a branch is needed, what function it should fulfil, and how its performance contributes to the bank’s overall strategy.