AmBank today unveiled its new concept of “community banking” in collaboration with Bask Bear Coffee at three of AmBank’s branches in Klang Valley, Penang, and Kedah.
According to the news release, customers will now get to enjoy the best of both worlds with this “bank-in-a-cafe” concept.
What this means is that both brands will exist side-by-side in adjoining lots.
The integration is said to provide Ambank with the opportunity to grow closer to its community and position Bask Bear Coffee as a disruptor and innovator in the cafe market.
“We are working towards redefining the customer experience at our branches starting with community banking,” said Aaron Loo, Managing Director of retail banking at AmBank.
“Our pilot of this concept has yielded positive outcomes with higher customer footfall and stronger customer engagement with the branch. Moving forward, we believe there will be even greater integration as banking services converge with lifestyle retail choices.”
The three aforementioned branches had their soft opening recently and received a good response from the business community and cafe crowds, the release reported.
Bryan Loo, the founder and CEO of Loob Holding Sdn Bhd (which owns Bask Bear Coffee) described the collaboration as “an evolution whose time has come.”
“This maiden joint effort with our leading bank partner is truly from the core of our brand DNA as Bask Bear Coffee is always about ‘Being Bold, Being Brave’. As far as we know, this is the first such concept where a cosy cafe intertwines with a dynamic functioning bank branch.”
The core idea of the collaboration is to not only create a differentiated experience, but to also stay relevant to meet the ever-changing needs of consumers.
Bryan added that he is confident the partnership would benefit both brands as well as their customers. He looks forward to this continued collaboration with AmBank and will jointly explore other locations.
They’re targeting to open another 47 such outlets throughout the country in the near future. Both companies will be working closely together to evaluate and integrate the concept into existing and new AmBank branches.
To celebrate the new collaboration and launch, they shared that 10 lucky winners will be selected to receive a complimentary cup of coffee every day for 365 days.
This campaign will run from March 9, 2023 to June 8, 2023. It’s open to customers who successfully perform recognised banking transaction(s) at any of the three cafe banking locations.
Customers using AmBank credit or debit cards for walk-in purchases at these Bask Bear Coffee locations will also get to enjoy further promotions.
We’ve reached out to Bryan to learn more about this partnership, and will be updating the article accordingly.
Featured Image Credit: AmBank / Bask Bear Coffee
