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With ideas borrowed from Wal-Mart,
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 t
is in the genes. Once a retailer always a retailer. So it is not
surprising, then, that the Waltons of Wal-Mart fame are adapting
techniques that have made their superstores so successful in the
family's banking operations in Arkansas and Oklahoma.Recently, their Arvest Bank Group set out to build a prototype facility for its State Bank & Trust in Tulsa with a design that could be adapted in other new construction or remodeling projects. According to Architect Steve Morrill, three major components make up the State Bank & Trust facility. |
 The
entry was designed with a strong retail image that incorporates
signage on three sides. The two sides of the entry can be in-filled
for additional office space if needed at minimal cost. A canvas canopy
was incorporated to give customers the convenience of added protection
from the weather.The
interior was designed with a simple plan of perimeter dry-wall
offices. The lobby and waiting area is in the middle. The skylight
allows natural light that has been known to increase retail sales and
boost spirits. A back-to-back teller drive-through was |
designed to reduce staff and raise
efficiency. The exterior was designed to incorporate large retail
banners on both sides, which captures more point-of-sales area.The
drive-through was designed with a head-on approach, which allows
easier eye contact between customers and tellers. Large, lighted signs
surround the canopy on three sides and an electronic message board
over the teller line is another point-of-sale area. Morrill's firm, SLM & Associates, has offices in Carthage, Mo., and Fayetteville, Ark. |
