The challenge
The renewal of the local CBC branches represented far more than a fit-out project. It was an opportunity to fundamentally rethink the visitor experience, the role of reception, and the way a branch supports its core missions: welcoming, advising, working, and collaborating.
The challenge was twofold: to define a model branch that embodies a clear and ambitious vision, while at the same time designing a framework that is sufficiently flexible and replicable to adapt to the specific spatial and organisational constraints of each branch. The central question was therefore: how can a shared, coherent, and reproducible framework be created without imposing a rigid solution, while taking into account the very different realities of individual branches?
Our approach
We structured our support around a multi-phase participatory process, involving all stakeholders.
The trajectory started with a focus group bringing together internal thought leaders and experts, with the aim of defining a clear vision of the branch of the future, identifying opportunities, and understanding constraints. Using a world café methodology, discussions were organised around four themes: individual work, collaboration, welcoming, and advising.
This vision was subsequently challenged and validated during a workshop with management and the project team. Through the use of personas and concrete projection exercises, we contextualised the expectations of different visitor types and further clarified the objectives to be achieved.
Finally, user focus groups translated this vision into tangible needs. By confronting the strategy with actual use patterns, we identified the necessary conditions for implementing the branch of the future, both in terms of user experience and spatial organisation.
The result
The project resulted in a clear, shared, and structured vision of the CBC branch of the future, both replicable and adaptable to the specific realities of each location. This vision goes beyond space alone: it formalises a coherent approach to user experience and the visitor journey within the branch.
We mapped the key moments of the journey, from arrival to departure, taking into account visitor profiles, expectations, and intentions. This detailed understanding of the journey enabled the optimisation of touchpoints, strengthened the quality of reception, and streamlined interactions between visitors and CBC teams.
The vision was then translated into guiding principles and modular spatial requirements. CBC now has a structuring framework that connects strategy, customer experience, and spatial design, enabling the development of local branches that are clearer, more efficient, and strongly focused on the value of human interaction.
