When we began working on this project, the branch environment told the story before anyone had to explain it. Queues wrapped around the waiting area, agents were stretched thin handling repetitive transactional requests, and customers were spending far too long waiting for tasks that should have taken minutes.
This wasn't a staffing issue — it was a system design issue. The branch was carrying operational weight that should have been distributed across self-service channels.
So we started where we always do: by observing real behaviour. We watched how customers queued, how they interacted with signage, how they hesitated before walking up to an agent, and how agents themselves navigated simple service requests that required multiple clicks, printouts, and validations. And the insight was clear:
The branch wasn't failing — the experience design around it was. There were no meaningful self-service pathways for customers, and the existing kiosks felt more like digital terminals than guided experiences.
The deeper issue was not just about queue lengths or operational strain. It was the disconnect between what customers could do independently and what the system allowed them to do. Most service requests funneled straight to branch staff because the self-service experience was too limited, too confusing, or too unreliable to trust.
"Half of these requests could be done by customers themselves—if the system actually helped them do it."
― Senior Branch Agent, UAE Network
Their words reflected a truth we see in many banks: self-service fails not because customers avoid it, but because the design doesn't empower them.
Our goal wasn't to build a kiosk. It was to build a self-service journey that felt intuitive, clear, and reliable — something customers could trust without second-guessing themselves or asking for help.
We began by identifying the types of tasks that customers were repeatedly queueing for but didn't require human intervention. Once the patterns became clear, the redesign focused on turning these tasks into seamless, guided flows within the kiosk interface.
The new experience was grounded in three principles:
We designed the kiosk as a conversation, not a menu. Each step anticipated the next. Each screen reduced cognitive load. Each decision point avoided technical jargon. The interface didn't ask customers to adapt — it adapted to how customers naturally think.
Once the experience was designed, we took it into the field. Kiosks were deployed in high-traffic branches, and we conducted observational testing with customers across different age groups, languages, and comfort levels with technology.
We watched for hesitation, misclicks, confusion, moments of doubt, and points where reassurance was missing. Small insights from this testing led to meaningful improvements — clearer labels, reinforced visual cues, refined navigation logic, and a more forgiving error recovery flow.
These refinements transformed the kiosk into a dependable tool, not just another digital device in the corner of a branch.
The shift inside the branches was noticeable almost immediately. Customers began completing common tasks independently, and agents reported a sense of relief as the volume of low-value, high-frequency requests decreased.
Branch managers shared that the kiosks didn't just reduce queues — they changed the rhythm of the branch. With fewer customers waiting for simple tasks, agents had more time for meaningful conversations, complex cases, and relationship-building moments that actually matter.
The transformation can be understood through three visible outcomes:
The bank didn't just introduce a self-service device — it introduced a new behavioral pattern that aligned with modern banking expectations.
Self-service isn't about replacing people — it's about elevating them. When customers are empowered to complete tasks independently, the branch becomes a place for advice, clarity, and deeper service — not transactional fatigue.
This project reinforced a simple truth: when self-service is designed with empathy, intention, and accessibility, everyone wins — customers, agents, and the business.
And that is the essence of experience-led transformation.
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