CaixaBank opens its mega-branch in Plaza de Colón

CaixaBank opens this Monday 12 July an 'all in one' centre in Plaza de Colón in Madrid. This is Norman Foster's latest project in the capital, which is the first flagship centre in Madrid and the third of the 'all in one' concept in Spain, after the openings in Valencia and Barcelona in 2019.

The new centre in Madrid has a team of more than 130 professionals and a space of more than 4,000 square metres, distributed over four floors and a terrace, to offer specialised attention to all business segments, both for individuals (with expert managers in retail banking, Premier Banking and Private Banking) and professionals (self-employed, micro-enterprises and companies). A total portfolio of 27,000 customers will be served from 'all in one' Madrid.

Caixabank insists on a new concept of unique financial services, with the aim of transforming the experience in the physical channel so that the customer's visit becomes a special and totally different moment.

The services offered include specific customer service areas designed for each type of customer, two auditoriums, more than 40 offices for private meetings, a multifunctional area for informal meetings with an outdoor terrace and panoramic views and the latest in technology, such as ATMs with facial recognition, wraparound screens with content specially created for the 'all in one' centre and an advanced self-service check-in system that allows customers to be quickly identified and managers to be notified of their arrival.

In 'all in one', the experience of the visit begins long before arrival. From the moment a meeting is arranged with the manager, the customer has a system of alerts and notifications on their mobile phone to remind them of their appointment and invite them to confirm it or, if necessary, change it. The CaixaBankNow application allows the customer to see the manager's agenda in real time and choose the most convenient time slot.

Those who arrive at 'all in one' with a prior appointment will no longer need to save a time to notify their manager: the customer can use their mobile phone to notify them that they have arrived and the person waiting for them will go out to meet them. CaixaBank has designed a self-service check-in system with NFC technology thanks to which customers can notify their arrival by simply placing their mobile phone near the device located at the entrance to 'all in one'.

The self-service area of 'all in one' has the latest advances in ATMs, including facial recognition technology, designed by CaixaBank to make it easier for customers to withdraw cash with an image of their face, without having to enter their PIN. The software in this type of ATM recognises and validates 16,000 points on the customer's face to guarantee totally secure identification. CaixaBank was the first financial institution in the world to implement this technology.

The Plaza de Colón centre has spaces exclusively for holding events, with an auditorium with capacity for 160 spectators and equipped with the latest audiovisual technology for streaming events; the High End multifunctional space, with seating for 40 people, and an outdoor terrace with panoramic views.

It will have its own programme of events, with talks and presentations, under the CaixaBankTalks brand. Anyone interested, whether or not they are CaixaBank customers, will be able to attend in person or follow the streaming broadcast.

'all in one' Madrid will be open to the public uninterruptedly from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm from Monday to Thursday, and from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm on Fridays, between September and June. During July, August and the first half of September, 'all in one' Madrid will maintain its summer opening hours (from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm).

The 'all in one' Madrid centre incorporates relevant innovations in accessibility, such as the magnetic loop -technology to reduce interference from ambient noise for people with hearing difficulties-, Braille maps of the different areas and spaces, and raised flooring at the entrances to the office.

These innovations are part of CaixaBank's commitment to accessibility, understood as a way of offering customers the greatest possible number of channels of access to its products and services, and also so that these channels can be used by the greatest possible number of people.

For this reason, the 'all in one' centre has eliminated those physical and sensory barriers that may hinder access to its facilities or to its products and services for people with disabilities.

In 2013, CaixaBank was the first bank in the sector to opt for a new branch model by creating 'Store' branches, with innovations in design, with open spaces and elimination of barriers between managers and customers, as well as in opening hours (uninterrupted morning and afternoon) and in the customer service model (with managers specialising in the different segments of personal banking).

This concept now has more than 550 branches throughout Spain, 53 of which are located in the Madrid region.

In 2019, CaixaBank opened its first two all-in-one branches in Valencia and Barcelona.