BANKING'S NEW FACE MACHINES DOLE OUT MONEY.Byline: Kathleen Sweeney Staff Writer STEVENSON RANCH Stevenson Ranch, California (in the 91381 ZIP Code) is a Los Angeles County, USA, unincorporated community west of Santa Clarita a few miles south of Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park. The Stevenson Ranch fountain was redone in 2007. - At first glance, it looks more like a retail store than a bank. There's a concierge who greets customers at the door, children's toys and books for sale, and touch-screen computers to educate anyone on banking needs. It's Washington Mutual's concept called ``Occasio,'' which is Latin for favorable opportunity, and it made its grand opening debut Thursday at a new branch in the Stevenson Ranch Financial Center - the first branch in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, to make the transition. ``We wanted banking to be different and new,'' said Jeanne Clark, bank manager. The nationwide banking firm implemented the new way to bank last year in Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. after extensive research showed customers wanted to talk to a person while making transactions, but wanted the simplicity and quickness offered from an automated teller machine automated teller machine (ATM), device used by bank customers to process account transactions. Typically, a user inserts into the ATM a special plastic card that is encoded with information on a magnetic strip. . Now, a concierge will greet customers and direct them to the appropriate stations to conduct business. If customers want to make a withdrawal or deposit, they will visit ``teller towers,'' without waiting in lines. At the towers, a teller will take a customer's request and punch the information into a computer, but a machine dispenses the money, Clark said. The tellers never touch the cash. ``It's more accurate than a human being,'' she said. While conducting bank business, children can play in the kids' area, where they'll find Gameboys, Legos or drawing tools, Clark said. The older customers can go online and check out their accounts or the bank's Web site. Customers also can touch a screen and learn about personal loans, refinancing home loans, or gather up-to-date information on banking. This is the first Washington Mutual “WaMu” redirects here. For the Washington, DC radio station, see WAMU. Washington Mutual (or WaMu; NYSE: WM) is the United States' largest savings and loan association. branch in Southern California to offer the warm-tone design and retail-banking concept, but other banks in East Los Angeles East Los Angeles, uninc. city (1990 pop. 126,379), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a residential suburb of Los Angeles, in an industrial area. It has a large Mexican-American population. There is a performing arts center and a cultural center. A junior college is there. and Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, city (1990 pop. 31,971), Los Angeles co., S Calif., completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles; inc. 1914. The largely residential city is home to many motion-picture and television personalities. are converting to the new look, said Nova Hunn-Barnett, bank spokeswoman. The concept has already been launched in Phoenix and Atlanta. ``Customers really prefer to have the choice,'' Hunn-Barnett said. The grand opening at the Stevenson Ranch bank at 25880 The Old Road is scheduled through Saturday, with snacks, free checking and ``WaMoola Madness,'' a telephone booth-style machine filled with swirling money to catch. Faith Enad-Hillo, who has been banking with Washington Mutual for six years, was the first customer Thursday to step into the WaMoola machine. She grabbed $75. ``I like it,'' she said of the new bank design and concept. ``I've never seen a bank the way they have it set up.'' CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- color in Verb 1. color in - add color to; "The child colored the drawings"; "Fall colored the trees"; "colorize black and white film" color, colorise, colorize, colour in, colourise, colourize, colour Business only) The new Washington New Washington is the name of several towns in the United States:
(2 -- color -- ran in SAC edition only) Faith Enad-Hillo tries to collect as much cash as she can in 30 seconds in the WaMoola machine, a promotion for Washington Mutual. (3 -- ran in SAC edition only) Below, bank teller action figures can be purchased during a visit. David R. Crane/Staff Photographer |
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