WaMu

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The renovations include abouyt 30 branches in the TampqBay area, said Nancy Norris, a spokeswomajn for Chase. Chase has hired who are currently hiring subcontractors for the Norris said. The branches slated for remodelin g were builtwith WaMu’s patented “Occasio” design, intended to emulates a retail store environment. Instead of standing behindd the traditional windows with cash tellers help customers from kiosks in a circulae layout and direct those needing cash to Chase will eliminatethe free-standing “teller towers” and cash-dispensinvg machines and replace them with a traditional layout, including teller windows behind glass and offices where bankerxs can sit with customers to discuszs products.
Two Tampa branches, at 144 Westshorse Blvd. and at 16069 Tampa Palms Blvd., servex as test locations and were remodelede in February and They were not conducive to the traditiona lteller lines, so they have a modifierd version of the design that is planned for the remaining Norris said. The project raiseds a debate about banking The traditional branches are more practical and more conducivwto privacy, Norris said. But branchews designed as retail stores allow banks to be more responsiv tocustomer needs, said John Puffer, chairmann and CEO of Pilot Bank.
Since 2006, Pilot, a Tampa-based community bank, has opened retaill store-style offices in Westchase, Temple Terracw and Lakeland with service islandas fromwhich “universal bankers” can serve any customee requirement. “It’s an environment wherw we can engagethe client, have real conversations with them, understandc their needs and be responsive to said Puffer. Chase aggressivelyg pushes cross selling in its industryobservers say. “It’s about transactions for them,” Puffer “For us, its about interaction with our clients.” Pilot plansa to convert three othed offices in Tampa to the Puffer said.
JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) bought most of WaMu’ banking operations for $1.9 billionj in September, after the housing market downturn caused lossess at what had been the largestr thrift in the United States and it was seized by While Chase historically has had a strong presencew inthe state, includinh about 3,800 people providing mostlgy back office functions at five offices in the Tampa the WaMu deal instantly elevatecd Chase to one of the largere retail banking players in the Floridw banking market. Even after closing 25 WaMu officesin February, Chasde now has 247 branches in Florida, all but 20 of them branchesw that it picked up from WaMu.
Only markegt leaders (NYSE: BAC), Wachovia, (NYSE: STI) and RF) have more branches. WFC), which bought on Dec. 31, has said it will rebranc the Wachovia offices over the nextthreee years. Chase has been rolling out the WaMu conversions In March it rebrandeed 708 WaMu officesin California, spending $375 Another 700 branches in Florida, Georgia and otherr states are scheduled for conversion in the thirfd quarter, followed by 800 more branches in the western United States in the fourth according to a Februarhy presentation for investors by the With its push into Chase named Rich Sawyer as retail marketf manager, overseeing a branch network in Tampa, the Space Coast and 55 branchesa in the Atlanta area.
Chasre is expected to detail its commercial banking strateggy for Floridanext month.