To adapt to consumer habits change, a large French bank is preparing to close 500 agencies in the territory. A decision that will impose new constraints on its many customers.
In certain downtown streets, there are empty windows that take the place of well-known brands. The time when the door of an agency was pushed to chat with an advisor or place a paper check seems to be slowly moving away. This silent but very real movement affects more and more French municipalities, from metropolises to villages. The banking world, like so many other sectors, is changing. And this time, it is a major institution that is about to cross a symbolic course.
In recent years already, agency closures have been increasing across France. Société Générale has seen its network lose almost a third of its points of sale, and Crédit Agricole gradually reduces its physical presence, especially in Normandy and the South West. A general trend that reflects the upheavals of the habits of the French, more and more connected and less and less inclined to move for their banking operations. But the recent announcement of a large French bank confirms the acceleration of the phenomenon.
BNP Paribas, the first retail bank in France, plans to close 500 of its agencies by 2030. This represents a third of its current network, or around 100 closures per year. A pace doubled compared to recent years. In question: the continuous decline in agency attendance and the rise of online services. Today, many customers prefer to manage their accounts from their smartphone rather than make an appointment in an agency. This evolution requires traditional banks to adapt their model.
To deal with this transformation, BNP Paribas promises not to abandon its customers. The bank intends to strengthen its call centers and deploy itinerant advisers in the most isolated areas. It could also bring its physical network closer to its 100 % digital offer, especially through Hello Bank, its online subsidiary. This refocusing aims to maintain a local link while optimizing operating costs.
But for many users, especially the elderly or little familiar with digital, this transition can be brutal. The withdrawal of money, the management of official documents or the personalized advice remains inseparable from human contact for them. Ultimately, it is therefore a whole relation to the bank which is led to reinvent itself, between technological support and maintaining a service accessible to all.
It remains to be seen if this large bank cleaning will find its balance. The closure of 500 agencies is not a simple logistical reorganization: it marks a new step in the digitization of our daily life. And for millions of customers, it raises a simple but essential question: what will a local bank look like tomorrow?