Bank of Georgia briefed DINN! about their goals for the Wealth Management to steady the client base (HNWI, family…) in the country, improving and increasing their foreign markets from Russia to Turkey, from Israel to Europe, with the goal to expand their presence in the region, middle east and Europe.
Georgia shows off a good balance between tradition and willingness to innovate, with the tangible and proud desire to grow not only as individuals but as an entire Nation.
The country is in a fast pace growth process: a smooth and quick bureaucracy with a suitable tax regime and a whole world of investment opportunities. tourism, real estate, the wine production: a crucial touchpoint in the ancient but also nowadays strategic Silk Road.
The overall idea was to create a captivating storytelling of the country as an entering point to understand the bank values and the opportunities offered, pushing this unique asset of distinctiveness in front of the competitors from all over the world.
Something unique is appealing and valuable for a target like the HNWI, ready to choose a hi-end exclusive service.
One of the prior touchpoints has been the location, together with the visual identity: Bank of Georgia took the opportunity to revamp and enhance one of their properties, the very first bank branch of the country established in early ‘900. The physical touchpoint is a fundamental “moment of truth” fro te brand and the moment to give “a face” to the bank into memorable customer experience to discover the country uniquenesses and the bank distinctiveness.
It’s nothing new that retail and financial industry is searching for a magic formula to find out a balance between physical and digital in these, so fast, changing times.
Even more for a bank that doesn’t provide tangible products, how to be distinctive into the market transforming retail aspects into something valuable for the client but also able to perform results?
The bank, with DINN! as a Partner, started a process to redefine its brand values, applying this new proposition to different touchpoints within the overall customer experience.
DINN! has covered this assessment with the brand positioning definition and the related storytelling, designing the new visual identity and its application on the digital side, the retail experience and the interior design for the flagship with the technical support and development by BUILT, a part of DINN! group.
Let’s focus our attention on the beautiful location, a bank branch from the beginning of the past century with a local-liberty style: the idea was to transform the place into a “destination store”, a place with a brand-new reason why to visit it, maybe once in a year, but with a memorable experience able to rise the expectations, the bank standing and feel the Georgian touch.
The location has been completely renewed with a very respectful work: the place has been enriched and transformed with the correct situations and elements to develop the business relationship, with an HNWI target obviously wealthy and not easy to impress. The office resides in a historic 19th-century building, which originally used to house the First Credit Society of Georgia and is considered to be the first residence of a local financial institution.
The experience starts from a concierge welcoming in a branch that will be a starting point or a celebration of the country heritage: in example, we applied the Asomtavruli writing, an ancient unique alphabet, with poetry quotes carved in the furniture: the mirror glass in the middle of the space to reflect the beautiful ceiling but also to recall the richness of the local water, there are spots for food and wine experience, high-end tourism advisory, culture, and arts.
In the former caveau, an amazing Austrian safe room from 1903, we have placed another local treasure, a winery with a sommelier presence to browse, taste and buy the most important Georgian or European labels. As it is a well-known Georgian habit, at the end of a successful deal you have to toast to it, there are hidden automated cases with spirits, elevating from below the wooden tables.
The branch operates with a front office completely dedicated to the clients, with the concierge desks and several eye-catching meeting rooms elevated inside the place, and a back-office that is also the headquarter of the division with forty people operating for the branch but also for the remote assistance.
The concept fully achieves the vision of the bank to be attractive and distinctive with a Georgian proposition, with an in-store experience that helps the positioning and the very important word of mouth between these clients. The HWNI target for sure needs a state of art omnichannel service but is very positive to choose a brand and be loyal if it offers a hi-end and unique experience.
The bridge with the local country is a truly genuine matter of pride for the people, helping to transmit and propose the bank assets.
