USAA plans first-ever off-campus retail financial centers in San Antonio - San Antonio Business Journal:

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The new centers, slated to open durinyg the fourth quarter, are a pilo t project being launched locally to provide USAA members and potentiakl members a new venue of servicde andmore convenience. These centers mark the firstg time that USAA will provide service locationw away from itscorporate headquarters, with the goal of attractinb more business. F. David president of , says the new centers will not replace any of the services the compangyalready provides.
Rather, they will provides the personalized, face-to-face servicwe that members want for some productsand “I think our biggest thing at USAA has alwayw been about the members’ choice and meeting our needs,” Bohne says. The average size of the financial centers willbe 2,700 squarr feet. They will include Internet workstations, deposit on-site wealth managers, videophone booths with documenf exchange capabilities and space for small group seminarsand webinars.
The videophoner booths are designed to provide memberewith real-time, face-to-face access to a USAA Bohne says USAA is using technology as a way to keep operating costsd down, while at the same time offering its membere an additional service option. Brad Wells, a vice president of eBusinessfor USAA, says the companu is excited about the new locations, which it hopexs will make members feel more at ease and do more businesds with USAA. “...
Member satisfaction goes up when you see the Wells says, adding that the new locationss and the technology incorporatecd in them allow USAA to leverage a low-costg way of doing business while givingb members the personalization that they’re desiring. “We know there’s demanfd for that.” Apart from the videophones, the internet workstations will give memberse access to servicesvia USAA’s Web site as well as allow them to make check The deposit ATMs will be available for cash or checko deposits and cash withdrawals; wealth management servicesz will be provided members by appointment.
Bohne stresses that the new retailk locations will not be traditionalbank Rather, members will be able to use the locationx to take care of their insurance, wealthn planning and other financial services needs. Thougn the branches are slated to open onthe city’z far Northeast and Northwest no exact sites have yet been selected. Bohnee says it’s been a challenge for the company to find property in the parts of town where USAA wantsthe branches. “One of the thinges we’ve seen is that our competitors have done a lot of homeworikand they’ve been doing branches for a long time. We haven’t been. So, they have tied up a lot of the good real he says.
“We’re putting up two (branches) and we want to make sure that we’rre getting a good return on the two locationsd thatwe choose. So, we are taking our time and bein g a little choosy on whatwe get.” Bohne says USAA pickedd San Antonio as the testingt site for the launch of the new locationd because the Alamo City is its home base. The ultimate Bohne adds, will be to eventually open retailp financial locations in strategic spots across the country in areaxs that have high concentrations of militaryg personnel as well as good Membership feedback, he adds, will dictate where USAA puts thes e new locations.