by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
It’s not your grandfather’s financial institution, or even your father’s.
When Jax Federal Credit Union opens its new office at Independent Square next week, it will be in a smaller space than it has occupied since the institution opened at the building as the Independent Life & Accident Insurance Employee Credit Union in 1975.
Consumer habits and preferences have changed, according to Branch manager Kim Watson.
“Technology has come to banking. It’s making our job a lot simpler and safer,” said Watson.
“We won’t have any cash drawers for the tellers. So many people these days are using their debit card instead of carrying cash. People have their paychecks direct-deposited instead of coming in to make a deposit every week and on-line banking and paying your bills on the Web have become very convenient for many of our members.”
Instead of a row of traditional teller windows, most of the business will be conducted at workstations. One feature is a self-service machine that will allow members to cash in their jars of loose change and get a receipt to deposit the funds into their account.
Watson said credit unions and banks just don’t need to keep as much cash on hand as they used to and for many customers, the Internet’s 24/7 access has become their only contact with their financial institution.
“We have members who live out of town and never come into a branch,” she said. “If I didn’t work here, I probably wouldn’t come here (to the branch) either.”
The new design plus the new technology also “opens things up,” said Watson.
“It creates a warmer atmosphere and makes people feel more welcome (than a traditional branch),” she said.
The new technology and layout will also be used when Jax Federal opens a full-service location on Dunn Avenue later this year.