The Sweet Smell Of…Deposits

Feeling refreshed after that trip to the bank? Perhaps it was the peppermint, with hints of grapefruit and green tea. Those are the scents wafting through three pilot “sensory branches” operated by Credit Suisse. Taking a cue from hoteliers and retailers, the Swiss bank hired an aromatherapist to concoct a subtle blend of aromas that are supposed to put customers at ease. The bank also hired a sound engineer to compile a soundtrack syncing branch traffic flows with beats per minute. “You can’t play house music at the busy lunch hour,” says David McQuillen, head of customer experience at Credit Suisse. “You don’t want music that’s going to get people worked up.” Surveys show an uptick in customer satisfaction at the sensory branches, which will expand to 35 this year. No word yet on how peppermint and Euro-pop affect bank balances or bounced checks. –Jena McGregor