When three legacy banks united under one banner, they needed to transform their branch network to reflect their relationship-focused banking experience. Known for meeting customers where they are along their financial journeys, branches are essential to delivering on the Flagstar brand promise. But transforming 469 branches across 17 states would require meticulous management of a wide-ranging workflow that would minimize disruption to daily banking operations – ultimately leading to a one-day reveal on President’s Day 2024.
The Solution:
Partnering with the financial industry’s most seasoned branch transformation experts, Flagstar leveraged Adrenaline’s comprehensive experience design services to manage and execute a complex conversion that would touch every branch in their sprawling 17-state network. Adrenaline’s 14-month holistic process for Flagstar included branch survey, design & development, design application, removal and remediation, implementation, installation, and finally, a one-day nationwide unveiling.
The Story:
After being awarded the project following an RFP process, Adrenaline began inventorying all of Flagstar’s assets across its 469 branch network – using Matterport 3D imagery to survey current conditions at each branch and organizing survey data, merchandising campaigns, branch floor plans, and digital signage into Adrenaline’s Asset Management Platform (AMP).
Receiving little more than a logo and color family to kick off the strategic design and development process, Adrenaline began building the kit of parts and exterior signage family that would later be applied to each location across Flagstar’s branch network.
The environments team then began planning for internal elements – flooring design, interior finishes, task furniture, localization walls, digital signage, and graphics.
At the same time, the strategy team worked to support Flagstar in tiering their branches. The process required relevant analytics and market studies to drive decision-making about which branches would get which design treatments – based on branch service, location, performance, and potential.
Once the kit of parts was designed, Adrenaline deployed testing for the different tiers – which included full elevation studies and renderings for 20 separate locations – to prove out the program.
Following testing, the environments team used AMP to document and develop 3D plans for implementation – from painting and electric, flooring and furniture, to environmental graphics and signage – and manage multiple workstreams implementing the plans.
The conversion process really started rolling when the spaces were being demerchandised, painted and brought into a consistent brand standard.
On conversion weekend, the communications were swapped out in the field with new brand messaging and coordinated in such a way that a simple flip of a switch had all new content populating digital screens.
Having only operated as separate banks prior to their unification, the Flagstar team needed Adrenaline’s deep knowledge of network transformation, design, and construction. The bank welcomed Adrenaline in as an extension of their own team and leaned on the brand experience company’s expertise to successfully deploy the new brand throughout their branch network.
A lot goes on behind the curtain to achieve a “one-day” network transformation reveal. Adrenaline and Flagstar’s 14-month partnership resulted in successfully choreographing a complicated conversion program – that included onboarding new team members, a new branding agency, a new marketing firm, and new signage company – to achieve a successful switchover for Flagstar on President’s Day 2024.
There’s a new energy in banking! I am beyond proud of these teams and all they have accomplished.”
– Jeremy Greenstein, Head of Distribution and Sales Execution, Flagstar Bank
