Just curious...as a consumer, when is the last time you actually went INTO your bank's lobby re your personal accounts?

From what I hear from my friends, I’m a little weird in the fact that I always use the lobby for my transactions. (Ok not always, yesterday it was cold and I didn’t want to get out of the car, but 90% of the time I’m a lobby banker.)

Why? Aren’t I one of those busy Gen Yers that doesn’t have time to go into a branch?

1. The face to face interaction develops a relationship that has and will continue to benefit me
2. I’ve found it “feels” faster for me to go into the branch. I say that because the transaction itself is faster. There’s no tubes to slow you down.

Just my crazy reasons for actually removing myself from my automobile and performing a transaction face to face.

I also will walk into a fast food restaurant and order in person if there are more than 2 cars line at the drive through. Crazy!

Yesterday for me. Of course I work in a bank, so I’m already here everyday. Prior to that before I worked for a bank, I think the only time I stepped in to the lobby was the day I opened my first account.

Most of the time if I’m depositing a check or cash I go into the branch…trying to remember when that was—oh, last Friday I went in after work while running errands.

I’m with Mark on #2, as far as speed of transaction, plus I have this lingering paranoia about feeding deposits into the machine. One of those weird psychological things, I guess.

I think it was 2002. Maybe 2003.

I needed something notarized. They were listed under “notaries” in the Yellow Pages (remember, that thick yellow book with phone numbers?).

I used to go into the lobbies more often than I do now. However, my bank has changed the interactions between tellers and customers in the drive-thru. It’s a lot more personal than it used to be, and they even try to add services and features to your account in the drive-thru. At this point, I’m not missing much from staying in the car. I still get the friendly welcome and goodbye as I would in the lobby, I just can’t see all of their face.

I went on a rant over on brads post – Financial Services CEOs Not as Tech-Savvy As They Say

I did however mention my banking habits:

“You are finding more and more virtual banks online. They said 5 years ago that the idea of a virtual branch wasnt realistic because people want their banks to have a “Brick and Mortar” presence.

However all the new data shows that fewer and fewer people are going to the branches. I order my checks online, I bank online, I financed my house online and over the phone, I have direct deposit and I can deposit my checks at any 7-11. I went into my branch once because the ink in the pen I keep in the glove box was out and I needed to write something down. I went in once to get a money order last year. My branch could burn to the ground and I probably wouldnt know for months.”

Now that doesn’t count business transactions, only my personal banking. I just found that I dont need to go inside much. Heck, I even pay my PGE and water bill at my grocery store. They have a built in wells fargo branch with 2 or 3 tellers there all the time (there are people using those too every time I am there).

It seems that I dont have to go anywhere anymore really. Everyone is coming to me, virtually or otherwise.

I dont think branches will die out all together, but I do think that the days of a single FI having a branch on every corner will be coming to a close in the next 10 to 20 years.

I use direct deposit and automatic transfers for my loans. the only time I stop into the lobby as a consumer is if I need to grab a few bucks on my way out the door. If I ever need to do a transaction on a day off I use the drive up or online banking.

I hardly ever go in-lobby for my personal accounts anymore… Checks in via image ATM, cash out (rarely needed anyway) via ATM, and the rest online / electronic debit/credits…