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NAB to close local branch in new year

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Patricia Gill, Denmark Bulletin

Denmark’s NAB branch will close February 9. Denmark Chamber of Commerce president Chris Langslow called the closure disappointing, particularly for small businesses and retailers/hospitality businesses which required cash and cheques.

Such transactions were not possible online or via video conference as NAB had suggested was the trend in modern banking.

He said customers should support the two remaining bank branches in Denmark to prevent a ‘revolving door’ of branch closures.

“Long may they persist,” he said of the presence of Westpac and Bank West branches in town.

“We need to be rewarding those branches which are still operating.

“Once they go they do not come back.”

Mr Langslow said the bank would have taken into consideration all objections in making the decision to close and this would have been a business decision.

“Denmark is not alone in this,” he said.

The closure meant that NAB customers who required face to face services would have to travel the 100km round trip to Albany.

Mr Langslow who manages the Denmark Co-op said there had been a noticeable decline in cash circulation since Covid-19 but nonetheless businesses needed cash.

A decade ago the Denmark NAB branch operated with a full-time manager and support staff but in recent years has been scaled down.

In August, 2020 branch opening hours were cut on weekdays in a ‘new model’ affecting 114 small regional Australian branches.

At the time NAB said the branches would be open from 9.30am-12.30pm for customers and outside of these hours bankers would support customers by phone and online chat, as well as application processing.

The closure in February is due to the changes in the way customers are banking. In a letter to customers, retail custom executive regional western Lynn-Maree Foster says the way customers bank guides branch locations and services.

More and more customers are banking online, over the phone or by secure video conference.

Bank says most customers using online, phone services

According to NAB Retail Customer Executive Regional WA, Lynne-Maree Foster the closure was prompted by the shift to online banking.

“As more and more customers are choosing to bank online, we’ve made the difficult decision to close the Denmark branch on February 9, 2023, she said

“Increasingly Australians are banking digitally, with more than 94 per cent of customer interactions now taking place over the phone, by video or online.

“While the Denmark branch will no longer be there, we will still be there for our customers – just in different ways.

“Over the past few years, fewer customers are coming into branches to do their banking and foot traffic has lessened, which has been accelerated by Covid.

“More than 60 per cent of our customers in Denmark are already using other branches, including the newly refurbished branch in Albany, which is also the nearest alternative branch location.

“The branch team will be working with customers over the coming weeks until we close, talking with them about the various banking alternatives available.

“These include our partnership with Australia Post and the Bank@post service as well as connecting with our mobile bankers, home lending specialists or business bankers in person or for phone or video appointments.

Ms Foster said that Bank@post was available for customers at Australia Post outlets including the Denmark Post Shop in Strickland Street.

“Importantly, there will be no job losses.

“We have worked closely with our colleagues on opportunities for them to continue to support customers either through other branches or across phone and digital channels.”

Denmark Bulletin 24 November 2022

This article appeared in the Denmark Bulletin, 24 November 2022.

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