Retail banking
Commerzbank wants to improve advice in branches
The branch network has become significantly more porous in recent years. Customers don’t get what they want everywhere. The private customer boss now wants to change that.
Commerzbank wants to improve advice for private customers in its 400 branches and, in some cases, also hire external experts. “Customers who come to one of our branches do not expect advice on export financing. But advice on building financing or investments should be possible,” said Commerzbank private customer boss Thomas Schaufler to the German Press Agency in Frankfurt.
“In order to be able to reliably meet this requirement, we plan to increase the number of staff in the branches,” said Schaufler. According to information from “Wirtschaftswoche”, at least four full-time positions are planned for each branch. “We will fill the majority of positions through internal regroupings and transfers. However, we may also hire external candidates at individual locations if we cannot find anyone internally.”
The board already has the approval of the employee committees for the planned changes. “We plan to be ready for customers with the new support model in autumn 2025,” said Schaufler
In the medium term, fewer branches
In principle, Schaufler does not want to change anything in the branch network at the moment: “With around 400 locations at the moment, we feel well positioned for nationwide coverage.” However, it is clear that “the branch network has to keep up with the changing mobility of people”. Some customers would like more parking options near branches or would like to combine their banking transactions with shopping in the shopping center.
“If, on the other hand, there is not enough capacity at one or the other location, we may also give up on it,” said Schaufler. He is “convinced that the branch will always be part of the omni-channel offering.” “However, given technological developments, the need to come to a branch is becoming less and less.”
On the subject of Saturday opening, Schaufler says: “If you think about locations and new offers, then you can’t fundamentally ignore it.” However, the bank’s advice centers, which are also available on Saturdays, are used relatively little at these times.
Comdirect and Commerzbank will integrate more closely
When it comes to integrating the Comdirect online brand, Schaufler believes more is possible: “We still have considerable potential when it comes to integrating our two brands.” For example, Comdirect customers wanted the option of taking out building financing directly via their Comdirect account. “We’re checking how this can work technically.”
According to the latest figures, Commerzbank serves almost eleven million private and business customers in its private customer segment, which also includes Comdirect, which is slightly fewer than a year earlier.
Annual and interim reports Commerzbank Commerzbank on the strategy until 2027
dpa
Source: Stern
