Westpac says it will close its Raglan branch and replace it with an improved ATM with deposit facilities plus a ‘digital educator’. It claims that way customers are doing their banking is changing. The claim made by the bank doesn’t stack up for Raglanders who have sent in written complaints over the last two years about long queues in the branch caused by understaffing. They also launched a campaign asking the bank to keep Raglan open. It seems that the closure is is more a case of the bank forcing customers into different ways of doing their banking.
The closures seem to be the opposite of what the Westpac said in May, “Westpac New Zealand Chief Executive David McLean said that the focus has been on maintaining a strong balance sheet in a competitive market while investing to deliver on the bank’s vision of becoming one of the world’s great service companies.”
Reducing service is hardly what one of the world’s great service companies would do.
The bank announced a consultation period about the future of the branches in August, with First Union saying 72 jobs were at risk. Westpac confirmed all of the branches under review would close. The branches are expected to shut in November, the bank said in a statement on Wednesday.
A senior Westpac executive visited the Raglan branch on the afternoon of Wednesday 21st to let them know about the closure.
The branches that will close are Kamo, Raglan, Otorohanga, Putaruru, Te Aroha, Cherrywood, Whangamata, Broadway Ave, Wainuiomata, Waikanae, Carterton, Takaka, Stoke, Fendalton Mall, Bishopdale, Gardens, Fairlie, Ranfurly and Te Anau.
Westpac said it would provide alternatives for customers, including digital devices for community use and upgraded ATM and deposit facilities. What it called digital educators would also work in those communities to provide personal assistance to customers.
First Union, which represented workers at 16 of the affected branches, said at least 50 jobs would go, and others would be transferred.
Organiser Tali Williams told Checkpoint with John Campbell the closures were disappointing and devastating.
“I’m sad for the elderly from those communities who have communicated time and time again about the trouble that they’re going to have … and the local businesses who will be affected.
“Some will be uprooted from their communities.”
Ms Williams said there had been massive resistance from some communities to the move, and she was surprised the bank had decided to go ahead with the closures.
About 50 staff would be affected by the bank’s decision, she said.
sorry its closing for some people who need it, but I have lived here 10 years and never set foot in the place. Very rarely go into a branch nowadays anyhow except to sign a document occasionally. Phone banking and internet banking take care of 99% of my needs.
Raglan businesses still handle a lot of cash. e.g. At the Old School Arts Centre many people pay with EFTPOS or online, but we still get a lot of cash at the market, the movies, concerts and workshops. And we have to give change out. It’s the same for most businesses. I’ll guess we’ll progressively move all our business and term deposits to Kiwibank. It will be interesting to see how they cope.