In Taipei, retail bank branches are almost as prevalent as people. Hubs of ATMs, mini-branches and full-scale premium branches litter the city, jostling for space among shops, malls, railway stations and the metro. One such branch can be found at the Taiwan headquarters of Standard Chartered Bank Taiwan, which first entered the Taiwan market in 1985. Downstairs, in the bank's luxurious 'priority banking' branch, a gleaming mini-grand Yamaha piano sits amid the decorative water feature and coffee bar.
In this impressive space, the bank's wealthy priority customers may work, book flights, socialise with friends, and even throw a small party, says Vivian Shyy, managing director of customer experience management, consumer banking, Standard Chartered Bank Taiwan. "We are not trying to position ourselves as traditional banking, we are trying to position ourselves as the six-star hotel: we focus on loyalty, not only pricing," she explains, adding: "Priority banking is about lifestyle."
