BNZ, one of New Zealand's major Australian-owned banks, has announced it is planning on having all its branches open at least five days a week.
In recent years, driven by customer demand for online and call centre services — especially during the pandemic — the bank reduced the number of days many branches were open.
For example, the bank's branch in Te Kūiti is open between 10am and 3pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
However, Anna Flower, BNZ's executive for personal and business banking, said customers have told them they want to do more banking face-to-face.
"Post-Covid, customer preferences have continued to evolve, and in those moments that matter, such as starting a business, dealing with a bereavement, or buying a home, we've heard from our communities and our personal and business customers that they want more opportunities to talk to us face-to-face."
Flower said BNZ branches will move to being open from 9.30am to 4pm, a minimum of five days a week.
All branches will be open five days a week by April 2025, with the first branches to make the move being in Feilding, Matamata, Oamaru, Te Awamutu, Thames, Te Puke and Wānaka.
BNZ has 96 branches across New Zealand, with over 620 people working across its network.
Regional banking hub trial
At the end of July, a regional banking hub trial will end. It saw six banks — ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, Westpac and TSB — operate joint basic banking services in seven smaller locations.
The review of the hubs found a range of issues. (Source: 1News)
New Zealand Banking Association chief executive Roger Beaumont said there wasn't "significant demand" for the physical services, but most of the hub network will remain.
"It showed there is real community support for regional banking. However, it also showed that, even with almost all banking services provided, the customer use for a multi-bank hub is lower than many single-brand bank branches."
The hubs in Stoke and Ōpunake will not continue.
The others are in Twizel, Martinborough, Whangamatā, Ōpōtiki, and Waimate.
New Zealand's five largest banks — ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, and Westpac — are extending their current commitment not to close regional branches for the next three years.
It applies to regions outside the council boundaries of the six major metropolitan areas of Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. It will not apply to Kiwibank agencies or cases where a branch needs to be closed due to earthquake strengthening, health and safety, or lease expiry.
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