Revamped branch offers activities to support the mental and physical wellness of our customers while providing opportunities for employees to upskill through Wellness Advocate training
UOB today announced the launch of its revitalised Upper Bukit Timah Branch (UBT), incorporating the Bank’s emphasis on all-rounded wellness by offering experiences and activities tailored to the mental and physical, as well as financial needs of its customers. This is part of the Bank’s ongoing branch transformation to develop and to deliver personalised services focused on our customers’ holistic wellness.
The revamped UBT, located at 148 Upper Bukit Timah Road #01-01, will engage customers through mental and physical wellness activities such as an industry-first in-branch basic health screening and specially-curated wellness booths where customers can partake in. These activities include tea blending and essential oil mixing, as well as monthly wellness workshops on topics such as art jamming, yoga and eyecare. The specially curated programmes and offerings address customers’ holistic wellness, whether it be a family-oriented art jamming session, stress-relieving yoga workout or mixing a refreshing tea blend personalised to the customer’s preferences. Members of the public are also welcome to participate in UBT’s wellness activities and services.
Benny Chan, Managing Director of Channels and Digitalisation at UOB Singapore, said, “The pandemic serves as a reminder that wellness – be it mental or physical – is priceless. Offering banking imbued with wellness is part of our commitment to do right by our customers through supporting a crucial aspect of their lives. We hope to deepen our relationship with customers through curated events and activities that will make our branches a one-stop resource for their well-being needs.
The complementary nature of UBT’s mental and physical wellness activities with those offered on UOB’s digital platforms represents the Bank’s unique omni-channel approach, where customers can have their needs served online as well as in-person. The range of physical, mental, emotional as well as financial wellness activities offered by UBT is also more holistic than conventional offerings that focus on just one dimension.”
Wellness proposition informed by pilot and research
Ahead of UBT’s launch, UOB conducted a pilot at its Orchard Branch to gauge the reception of the various wellness programmes. A notable finding was the popularity of basic health screenings among customers, with over 325 appointments completed over a six-month period this year.
In a study done with Deloitte, the Bank also found high willingness among consumers for a holistic wellness approach, which showed that the wellness proposition resonated strongly with young families, young professionals and the rising affluent. UBT’s location in the Upper Bukit Timah area, which sees a high concentration of these demographics, together with steady traffic from numerous shops, businesses and tertiary institutions nearby, makes it an optimal choice for the Bank to best serve these consumers.
Drawing inspiration from the verdant surroundings of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, UBT’s branch design and concept incorporate biophilic elements to provide a soothing environment for consumers, bringing them closer to nature. The branch’s specially curated scent, “Interlude”, is also inspired by “shinrin yoku”, a Japanese concept literally translated as “forest bath”, exhorting customers to step back from the daily hustle, relax and take in the scent of nature.
UBT will also feature UOB’s first Wellness Advocates (WAs), who are bank employees specially trained to provide wellness advice and recommendations to customers in line with the programmes available at the branch. Through the WA training, staff can avail themselves to a plethora of training programmes not just in areas covered by UBT wellness activities, but also in more general skillsets such as presentation skills, webinar organisation and personal style and grooming.
Wellness Advocate Ms Grace Chong Cheng Mui, who has attended workshops such as stress management, grooming, and mental wellness awareness, said, “The training that I have undergone has allowed me to be able to engage customers from a more holistic perspective, and has positively influenced my relationships with them as they walk through the wellness journey with me.”
Apart from UBT and the Orchard Branch, UOB also plans to bring its wellness activities to more branches around Singapore, including Suntec City, JEM and Tampines Centre, by this year.
