Banks Are Going Digital. So Why Are They Opening More Branches?
For years, the banking narrative seemed straightforward: customers were moving to digital, branch traffic was declining, and physical locations would inevitably matter less. Then reality complicated the story.
In February 2026, JPMorganChase announced plans to open more than 160 new branches across more than 30 states this year, while also renovating nearly 600 locations as part of a broader multiyear branch expansion and modernization strategy. That’s not the behavior of an industry abandoning the branch – it’s the behavior of one that’s redefining what the branch is for.
That tension is worth paying attention to, because the real question is no longer whether banking is digital-first. It is. The better question is this: if digital is now the default for routine transactions, what should the physical experience deliver that digital cannot?
The answer is not “more of the same.” It’s better orchestration, higher-value interactions, and a more intentional use of customers’ time.
Digital Won the Transaction. Physical Still Matters for Trust.
Digital banking has been wildly successful at absorbing low-friction, repeatable tasks. Customers want to check balances, transfer funds, pay bills, and complete simple account actions quickly and independently. Deloitte’s research shows that consumers continue to prefer digital channels for many routine activities, while still seeking in-person support for more complex or involved services. Deloitte also notes that, regardless of channel, the “human touch” remains important and that branches are still pivotal to strengthening customer relationships.
That distinction matters.
Banks are investing in physical locations because some moments still carry higher stakes: opening accounts, resolving problems, getting financial advice, navigating life events, or rebuilding confidence after something has gone wrong. Deloitte has also found that branches remain the dominant channel for account opening, and that satisfaction with the branch experience is a stronger driver of overall banking satisfaction than online or mobile satisfaction. So the branch is not disappearing, it’s being reassigned.
The Branch is Becoming an Experience Channel, Not a Transaction Channel
This is where many banks get tripped up. They recognize that the role of the branch is changing, but they don’t always redesign the experience accordingly.
McKinsey has argued that branches remain expensive and operationally complex, with some banks allocating roughly half of operating costs to them. At the same time, it notes that delivering a consistent customer experience across large branch networks is a persistent challenge. In other words, physical presence alone is not a differentiator. A well-run, well-orchestrated physical experience is.
That shift is also visible in how analysts are framing the future of banking. Accenture’s 2025 Global Banking Consumer Study says digitalization has made banking less personal and more transactional, while customers increasingly engage with multiple banks. Its research argues that stronger advocacy comes from trust, personalization, customer service, and competitive benefits—not just functional digital convenience. Banks in the top 20% for customer advocacy, according to Accenture, see faster revenue growth than peers.
Put simply: digital may be table stakes, but differentiation is moving elsewhere. And that “elsewhere” often shows up in the branch.
More Branches Does Not Mean a Return to Old-School Banking
It would be easy to misread branch expansion as a sign that banking is swinging back from digital. It’s not. The smarter interpretation is that digital has raised the bar for physical.
Once customers can do routine tasks themselves, they become less tolerant of friction when they do need a person. If they visit a branch, they expect the interaction to be worth the trip. They expect staff to be prepared, the context to carry over from digital channels, faster problem resolution, more personalized support, and a clear sense of what happens next.
That’s why the future of retail banking is not about choosing between digital and physical. Deloitte’s recent work points toward customer-centric modernization: using better data, better integration, and better core systems to improve customer interactions and address pain points more effectively.
Accenture is describing the same shift in broader terms. In its 2026 banking trends research, it argues that banking experiences are becoming more conversational, adaptive, and omnipresent, while physical branches remain essential as trust anchors whose role will evolve alongside AI-driven convenience.
The implication is clear. The winning branch is a high-value environment within a connected customer journey.
This Raises the Real CX Challenge: Orchestration
If banks are going to invest in branches, the branch experience cannot be left to chance, which means thinking beyond square footage and staffing models. The real customer experience challenge is orchestration:
- Can customers book time for the right type of conversation?
- Can walk-ins be handled without disrupting scheduled appointments?
- Can staff see enough context to deliver continuity instead of repetition?
- Can high-intent visits move smoothly from digital research to in-person advice?
- Can banks reduce idle time, wait time, and uncertainty at the exact moment when trust matters most?
A bank can expand its network and still deliver inconsistent, fragmented experiences. It can renovate locations and still frustrate customers if service flows are unclear. It can invest heavily in AI and digital self-service and still underperform if the handoff into human interaction is messy.
This is the real lesson behind the headline.
JPMorganChase’s branch expansion is interesting because it reveals what digital banking could not replace. Even as technology accelerates, banks still need physical spaces for trust-building, advice, issue resolution, and relationship deepening. But those moments only create value when they are designed intentionally.
How jrni Helps Banks Deliver High-Value Branch Experiences
If the role of the branch is shifting toward higher-value, more intentional interactions, then the experience inside the branch needs to evolve with it. That starts with orchestration.
jrni helps banks turn physical locations into structured, high-performing experience environments by connecting appointments, walk-ins, and staff availability into a single, coordinated system.
Instead of leaving in-branch experiences to chance, banks can:
- Match customers to the right expertise from the start
Route customers to the appropriate advisor based on intent, service type, and availability – ensuring that high-value conversations are handled by the right people. - Balance appointments and walk-ins without disruption
Enable structured walk-in journeys through queue management while protecting scheduled time, reducing bottlenecks and service delays. - Reduce wait times and uncertainty
Give customers visibility into when and how they’ll be served, replacing ambiguity with clear next steps. - Create continuity between digital and in-person interactions
Capture customer intent during booking or pre-visit engagement, so staff are prepared before the conversation even begins. - Improve performance at the moments that matter most
Track conversion, service outcomes, and visit value across appointments and walk-ins – turning branch interactions into measurable business impact.
As banks continue to invest in physical locations, the differentiator won’t be the number of branches – it will be how effectively each one is run.
By orchestrating the flow of customers, staff, and services, jrni helps banks ensure that every in-branch interaction delivers on its potential: building trust, improving outcomes, and making customers feel that their time was well spent.
Final Thoughts
Banks are going digital. They are also opening more branches. Those two facts are not in conflict. They point to the same conclusion: routine banking is increasingly self-serve, but high-value banking is becoming more human, more contextual, and more experience-driven.
The branch is no longer the default destination for every customer need. It’s the place reserved for the moments that matter more. And as that role becomes more strategic, the experience inside the branch matters more too. In other words, physical banking is not back. It has been promoted.
Ready to Make Every Branch Visit Count?
If branches are becoming the place for higher-value, more intentional interactions, then every visit carries more weight. Customers aren’t just showing up – they’re investing their time in moments that matter: getting advice, solving problems, or making important financial decisions.
When those moments feel unstructured – unclear wait times, mismatched staff, or disjointed handoffs – confidence drops quickly.
jrni helps banks bring structure to these critical interactions by orchestrating appointments, managing walk-ins, and aligning staff to customer needs within a single platform.
The result is a branch experience that reflects its new role: purposeful, efficient, and built around delivering value. Customers feel prepared and prioritized, staff stay focused on meaningful conversations, and leaders gain the visibility needed to improve performance across every location.