Community bank focuses on changing customer needs, COVID-19 impact in branch redesign
PERKASIE, Pa. (March 2021) – Penn Community Bank, the largest mutual bank headquartered in eastern Pennsylvania, is launching a plan to improve operational efficiencies and better position the bank for future growth with an exciting and impactful network revitalization effort.
“Even during these uncertain times, branch revitalization is crucial. Focusing our attention on opportunities to improve and enhance our physical offices offers a number of benefits that increase the quality of interactions between our team members and customers,” said Jake Iampietro, Penn Community Bank Director of Retail Banking.
The network revitalization initiative, beginning with one of the bank’s most active branches – Perkasie (Market St.) – focuses on thoughtful design and layout changes that offer significant enhancements that address changing health and safety considerations introduced by the pandemic in public spaces and interaction areas, and additional investment in technology to promote an interactive and intuitive customer experience.
The revitalization work will encompass interior and exterior phases. Inside the branches, customers and team members will experience increased branding features and messaging, refreshed finishes, curated furnishings, restructured teller lines and customer interaction points, and more. On the outside, ATM upgrades, drive-up updates, and enhanced signage will highlight our mission and service commitments to both customers visiting the branch and the community at large.
“In addition to modest changes to the physical layout that will help improve space usage, the plan calls for infusing the bank’s refreshed and sharpened brand in the redesign program, to ensure our physical locations exemplify and communicate our mission and over-arching brand promise to the communities we serve,” said Bernard Tynes, Director of Marketing.
“The revitalization efforts will highlight our commitment to these communities; but that’s just the starting point. This refresh will set the table for future branch efforts and establish best practices for how we enhance and utilize our locations throughout the network,” said Jessica Sweeney – VP, Director of Building Operations and Planning
The project is led by Diane Brown – EVP, Chief Administrative Officer and includes an inter-departmental team of Jake Iampietro – SVP, Director of Retail Banking, Bernard Tynes – SVP, Director of Marketing, Jessica Sweeney – VP, Director of Building Operations and Planning, and Melissa Belier – VP, Retail Strategy and Distribution Manager.
Construction on the Perkasie (Market St.) branch is expected to begin in April.
About Penn Community Bank: Penn Community Bank holds more than $2.5 billion in assets, employs more than 300 people, and offers banking, lending and investments at 22 bank branches and three administrative centers throughout Bucks and Montgomery counties, Pennsylvania. As an independent, mutual financial institution, Penn Community Bank is not publicly traded and operates with its long-term mission in mind: to help businesses grow and prosper, to provide financial resources to individuals and families throughout their lifetimes, to strengthen the local economy, and to partner with local organizations to act as a catalyst for positive growth in every market it serves.
