A unique partnership of six New Zealand banks is trialling a new approach to providing banking services in small regional communities.
Banking Hubs are being trialled in seven small towns.
The hubs provide basic banking services and feature a Smart ATM, support staff and online and technology support. The Smart ATM provides for cash deposits and withdrawals, and other basic transactions are available on tablets and by phone, with staff to assist. Most of the hubs also have employee from each bank available on site for a few hours on separate weekdays for face-to-face banking.
The Banking Hubs are in Twizel, Stoke, Martinborough, Ōpunake, Whangamatā, Ōpōtiki, and Waimate.
Each Banking Hub pilot tests different ways of adapting to community demand and needs. They provide different capabilities, with variations in technology and personal service.
Some of the hubs have been established in partnership with local organisations or use existing bank infrastructure branches to host the hubs. Other hubs are located in stand-alone locations.
During the pilots the participating banks – Kiwibank, BNZ, TSB, ANZ, ASB and Westpac – will not close any regional branches outside the local authority boundaries of the six main urban centres of Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.
Anyone is welcome to provide feedback about the Banking Hubs by emailing hubs@nzba.org.nz.
