The bank lobby I used to avoid now feels like a meeting spot

Stopped by my old branch downtown last Friday to cash a check and noticed they turned the waiting area into a coffee nook with free wifi. Back in 2018 I'd sit in that same lobby for an hour just to deposit my paycheck and argue about overdraft fees, now people are in there doing their whole budget on a laptop. It got me thinking how much the 'bank experience' changed since I started using a credit union app, fees dropped from $35 a pop to zero. Anyone else notice their local branch shifting into a hangout spot, or is mine just weird?

1 comments

1 Comment

sarah_brown18d ago

My credit union in Austin did the exact same thing last year, turned the whole back corner into a little study space with outlets at every table. I was skeptical at first but honestly it's helped me a ton, I go there Tuesday mornings to pay bills and sort out my savings since I'm already in the neighborhood. The tellers still handle the overdraft stuff but now they'll wave you over if you need help with the app instead of making you wait in line. It's a smart move, gets people in the door who would've just used their phone for everything.