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Chris McKeen
BNZ is consolidating its workforce.
BNZ will close 38 branches over the next seven months, despite a previous commitment not to close any regional branches until at least 2022.
Eight branches will close on Christmas Eve, including Courtenay Place, Mt Maunganui and Pakuranga.
Another 14 will close between February and March, including Waiheke, St Heliers, Cromwell and Westport.
Another 16 will close between April and June.
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In 2019, BNZ’s director of customer service, Paul Carter, said he was focused on being accessible and available to all customers and that is why he was committed to keeping all regional branches open until at least 2022.
But he said the pandemic had altered plans.
“We do not make this decision lightly. We assume our commitment to regional branches in good faith. Not only was it a commitment to the communities we serve, it was also a commitment to our people, as closing a branch used to mean losing jobs.
“However, Covid changed everything. Our clients have embraced digital tools and services and our bankers are serving clients no matter where they are. We have shown that we can work from anywhere and that there are job opportunities for all of our people; it reflects the continual change in the way our customers choose to bank with us. “
He said the pandemic had accelerated trends that had been seen for some time. Roughly three-quarters of customers were “digitally active.”
Bank profits have fallen as a result of bad loan provisions as the economy was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Most of our clients bank online, and our talented bankers often wait in empty branches for clients who just don’t show up,” he said.
“Branches will continue to play a role in the way we serve our customers. We will continue to invest in modern customer centers to help customers take advantage of online banking and our digital tools, and where they can access specialized services. “
He said BNZ would work with the bankers at the affected branches to find new opportunities within the bank. Each affected employee would be offered another position.
“We have gone a long way before closing our regional branches so that we can support the small number of customers who regularly use these locations to adopt alternative forms of banking.
“Our mobile branch, Mobile BNZ, performed well in the Manawatu-Whanganui and Northland regions providing banking services and financial support to remote communities, and we will add additional vehicles to our fleet to allow more communities to receive financial support,” he said. .
Carter said the changes to its branch network were part of a broader review of all BNZ locations to consolidate its workforce.
“Our people have embraced the flexibility of remote work. It adapts to our clients and our people and the changes in our office space reflect that, ”he said.
In Wellington, work is underway on the new BNZ site on Whitmore Street to open in 2023. Once complete, it will bring together BNZ employees from three other existing sites.
Metro branches will close on December 24, 2020 (eight branches)
- Courtenay place
- Greerton
- Manurewa
- Mosgiel
- Mount maunganui
- Pakuranga
- Papatoetoe
- Petone
Branch closings between February and March 2021 (14 branches)
- Cromwell
- Geraldine
- Huntly
- In the middle
- Ohakune
- Opotiki
- Orewa
- Otorohanga
- St Heliers
- Taihape
- Waiheke
- Waimate
- Wairoa
- Westport
Branch closings between April and June 2021 (16 branches)
- Akaroa
- Balclutha
- Coromandel
- Dannevirke
- Hanmer springs
- Kaikohe
- Methven
- Reefton
- Stratford
- Takaka
- Taumarunui
- Love
- Waihi
- Waipukurau
- Whangamata
- Winton
