HSBC Premier Malta flagship centre officially opens today

HSBC officially opens its flagship Premier centre in Swieqi this evening, following a complete overhaul to give the premises an entirely new look under the group’s international blueprint.

The project falls within HSBC Bank Malta plc’s €8 million, five-year branch upgrade programme which has already seen major refurbishment completed in Buġibba and Ħamrun in the early summer. The Paola branch is currently being redesigned, and five more branches will be revamped in 2011.

In Swieqi, the branch has been redesigned to capture the spirit of HSBC’s high-end proposition. Welcoming, elegant and designed to exceed the expectations of HSBC Premier’s most exigent customers, the branch has been fitted according to the brand’s global model.

Andrew Ripley, HSBC’s head of personal financial services, said Premier customers walking into the Swieqi premises will enjoy the same ‘experience’ and ambience they would in any of the newest HSBC Premier branches across its international network.

On entering the centre at street level, all Premier customers are met by a receptionist who will direct them according to their requirements. The centre has ample facilities for high-end customers, including a spacious waiting area with mini library, refreshments and screens, offices for private meetings, a boardroom, and a teller.

Dominated by the brand’s blue and red, the centre’s luxurious setting is bedecked with col-ourful, striking images, representative of the HSBC network’s global destinations, endowing it with a truly international atmosphere.

Despite being the Premier flagship, the Swieqi premises caters to the needs of all HSBC customers but reflects the rapid changes in local clients’ banking trends.

There are two automated teller machines, one on the façade and the other just before the entrance to the Premier centre, besides a deposit machine for business customers.

HSBC customers only need to make their way to the first floor of the branch, where they will be met by the bank’s new, distinct design. Customers are able to enjoy a new concept in banking which delivers an entirely fresh experience in a bright, smart space that underlines HSBC’s ‘world’s local bank’ philosophy.

Service delivery at the branch has been considerably upgraded: Customers are greeted by a receptionist, are able to make use of the compact library in a calm, corner waiting area, or available themselves of telephone and internet services. Customers may choose to be served by staff in offices with partially transparent frontages or private ‘pods’ wrapped in imagery from international destinations besides Malta.

“The branch has been upgraded to HSBC international standards and the team is extremely proud to be taking banking in Malta to the next level,” Swieqi branch manager George Debono said. “Customers will experience first-hand why our HSBC branch is really and truly one of a kind in Malta.”

Mr Ripley explained HSBC branches’ redesign also coincided with a heightened drive to place even greater importance on the bank’s service culture. Staff is regularly ‘mystery shopped’ and satisfaction surveys are carried out periodically to ensure service delivery is consistent.

He pointed out banking was no different to any other service and HSBC was continuously striving to inject the feel good factor to its delivery.

Across the local network, HSBC was monitoring its footprint to adjust branches and services to suit customer habits which were increasingly inclined to automated channels. Ten per cent of self-service usage was attributed to over 65s as customer education and hold-holding was leaving the desired results. Branches will also feature new ‘zones’ to designate areas for brands and propositions, including the group’s latest offering, HSBC Advance, which had been so far well received by Maltese customers, Mr Ripley said.