Architecture firm reports bank survey

Simon Oswald Associates Inc., a Columbia-based architecture firm, has compiled the results of the first in a series of surveys on bank facility design trends.

The survey marks the beginning of an aggressive campaign to measure factors affecting design in financial service institutions.

Their first survey focused on bank lobby design and was sent to 1,800 banking professionals throughout the state.

The initial survey measured the importance of bank lobby design relative to customer satisfaction.

A significant majority of survey respondents viewed flexible lobby design, traffic flow, and a sense of privacy in the customer service areas as top bank design priorities.

More than three-fourths of the survey respondents preferred that their bank lobby depict a friendly atmosphere, and most preferred that their customers be greeted by a receptionist or greeter when entering the lobby.

The survey asked respondents to rank the importance of specific factors of lobby function and design to customer satisfaction, including design and traffic flow in the lobby, open teller lines vs. directional "lanes," flexible lobby design and furniture that allows easy adaptation to changing customer needs and community rooms/gathering places.