With the rise in online banking, retail bank branches need a dramatic reframing to remain relevant. That’s what Lloyds Bank has done with its Manchester flagship, as part of its long-term strategy. The flagship’s ambitious new format is all about connections and networking, and provides an experience that combines face-to-face expertise with technology. It offers a host of special features to meet the needs of the local community and to ‘help Manchester to prosper’. The branch has a prominent self-service area in a new herringbone design and includes a coffee bar at its heart. There’s also a Business Hub and a space for events and seminars. By transforming the customers’ banking experience, Net Promoter Scores grew by +18% year-on-year and performed +24% better than comparable city centre branches. Enquiry wait and counter wait reduction targets have been hugely surpassed and the number of self-service deposits has jumped, saving time for customers and staff. Business Hub users are up 60% on target and event attendees are 78% higher than objective.