Is Your Branch Footprint Holding You Back?

5 Signs It’s Time to Expand or Remodel

In today’s rapidly evolving financial landscape, standing still is not an option. With consumer expectations shifting and banking innovation accelerating, many banks and credit unions are asking an important question: Is our current branch footprint helping or hindering our growth?

Whether you’re experiencing increased foot traffic, struggling with operational bottlenecks, or simply falling behind the competition in delivering modern experiences along with the incorporation of digital tools, consider these 5 signs it’s time to expand or remodel.

Your Branches Are Getting Too Busy to Function Efficiently

A sustained uptick in transaction volume is more than just a win; it’s a signal. When branches consistently handle high traffic over time, it’s often a clear indicator that your footprint can no longer support your customer base efficiently.

According to 2025 data from Cornerstone Advisors, nearly 39% of community financial institutions reported growing transaction volumes due to increased local demand and more personalized branch-level experiences. If queues are growing, employee workloads are rising, and service quality is at risk, a remodel or new branch may be the answer.

You’re Missing Market Opportunities

When potential customers or members are reaching out from areas where you don’t currently operate, that’s a market waving a flag.

In 2024, nearly 64% of Gen Z and Millennial consumers opened a new financial account with a provider that had a convenient physical presence despite being digital-first users. If your institution is gaining traction outside your footprint, now is the time to capture that momentum with a smart, targeted expansion strategy.

Understanding the opportunity that resides in banking deserts is a winning strategy. A banking desert is a geographical area with limited or no access to traditional banking services and financial institutions. This means residents may struggle to access basic financial tools like checking accounts, savings accounts, loans, and credit.

Banking deserts often lack physical bank branches, sometimes defined as areas without a branch within a certain radius (e.g., 10 miles in rural areas). As of mid-2024, according to fedcommunities.org, there are 3,629 banking deserts and 3,094 potential banking deserts across the US.When it comes to opening a branch in a desert census tract, a credit union does so 35% of the time.

Your Staff Is Feeling the Strain

Outsourcing core functions or delaying service delivery due to staff overload is not sustainable. Operational strain can quietly erode your member or customer experience and ultimately cost you business.

Today’s most successful institutions operate from right-sized, technology-enhanced branches designed for staff efficiency and member service excellence. FSI’s approach ensures your remodeled or expanded branches are built around your operational goals; not just aesthetics.

You’re Not Keeping Up With Digital & Physical Expectations

Today’s consumers want more than just a mobile app. They want meaningful, personalized service at every touch point. Agile branches blend physical presence with digital capability to meet this demand.

Modern banking customers, especially Millennials and Gen Z, look for institutions that share their values, are transparent, and offer easy, tech-friendly access when and where they need it. If your branch doesn’t support digital-first engagement with a human touch, you risk becoming irrelevant.

Ask yourself: Are we the most convenient and trusted option in our market? If the answer isn’t a confident “yes,” it’s time to take action.

It’s Simply Time for a Refresh

Branch transformation isn’t always about building new locations. Sometimes, a well-executed remodel of your existing space can significantly boost efficiency, elevate your brand, and attract new generations of customers.

From sleek, modern layouts that reduce wait times to open, tech-integrated spaces that invite self-service and personal interaction, FSI helps you reimagine your branches to serve the next decade of banking without the headache of doing it all in-house.

Why Choose FSI Instead of Going It Alone?

At Financial Supermarkets, Inc., we don’t just build branches, we build strategies for long-term growth.

With over 40 years of experience helping community banks and credit unions across the U.S., our turnkey branch expansion and remodel programs combine strategic site planning, financial modeling, cutting-edge design, and project management. Delivering results that exceed expectations on time and on budget is at the core of the FSI program.

We understand your industry. We know your challenges. And most importantly, we’re committed to making your branch transformation seamless, scalable, and successful.

Ready to Explore What’s Next?

Whether you’re eyeing a remodel, scouting new locations, or just trying to figure out what comes next, partnering with Financial Supermarkets, Inc. (FSI) can make all the difference between an average update and a transformative leap forward. FSI’s can guide your institution through the entire planning and execution process with clarity, creativity, and confidence with their 40+ years serving banks and credit unions nationwide.

Also, read our post on Branch Transformation Insight.