The 'Branch of the Future' programme will see a huge part of UniCredit's Italian network given a technology and design facelift to meet the changing preferences of customers who increasingly expect 24 hour, multi-channel services.

The new flagship, at the base of the UniCredit Tower in Piazza Gae Aulenti, has windows that use kinect smart-glass technology to become interactive screens at night.

Upon entering the branch, visitors are welcomed by a customer manager at a workstation that is equipped to manage queues and appointments with advisors, as well as to provide immediate help on basic issues.

In the waiting area, a touch-screen table, tablet computers, and free WiFi let customers browse the Internet, while a bank staffer is on hand to demonstrate online and mobile services.

Teller and advisor workstations are equipped with electronic signature pads and the latest generation of teller station equipment, while a meeting room with video-conferencing equipment is on hand so customers can talk to specialists working in other locations.

The branch self-service area, which is accessible 24 hours a day, contains ATMs that memorise the customer's debit-card habits and presents them with the amounts most frequently withdrawn. Outside of branch hours, customers can access a video room that will connect them remotely to a consultant.

Gabriele Piccini, country chairman, Italy, UniCredit, says: "This new branch is the result of more than 20 recent research and innovation projects that sought to understand what value our bank should create for customers and to emphasize their importance."