UnionBank of the Philippines has opened its first digital branch powered by Appian platform.

Called The Ark, the new branch features internet-connected self-service kiosks and virtual reality boxes to support paperless banking and enhance customer experience.

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The customers can use the self-service iPad stands to submit their request for necessary service thereby eliminating long customer queues.

UnionBank digital branch

UnionBank of the Philippines head for consumer finance and chief customer experience officer Anna Maria Aboitiz Delgado said: “The Ark is an award-winning digital branch that provides a modern experience for our clients within a traditional brick and mortar store.

“Designed more like a business lounge than a typical bank, this is a ‘first of its kind’ in the Philippines, and an embodiment of digital transformation in the banking industry.”

Appian’s regional reseller Via Appia was responsible of implementing automated banking processes and applications on the Appian Cloud platform at the digital branch.

Appian Asia-Pacific vice-president Karen Astley said: “UnionBank has utilised digital technology to completely transform the banking experience for customers, making it a more modern, enjoyable and efficient process for them.

“The Ark is a model for the future of banking and Appian is excited to be providing the platform for digitalising the country’s banking industry.”

UnionBank is planning to open additional such digital branches across the country in near future.

How the Philippines fares in branches

Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) is generally regarded as one of the best. Consistently in the country’s top 10 universal banks, it wants to be in the top three by 2020. It may not be the biggest bank in terms of branches – it has 317, compared to Metrobank’s 953 – but UnionBank feels it can compete in a different realm.

Ana Maria Aboitiz-Delgado, chief user experience officer at UnionBank, explains to RBI: “We don’t have the largest branch network, but we want to deliver the best customer experience. This is especially because non-bank competitors are coming into the market and delivering good experiences. We’re trying to not compare our experiences to other banks, but to the best experiences across all categories.”

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