Santander Work Café

Santander Work Café – More than a Café. More than a Bank.

What is the Santander Work Café?

The Santander Work Café is an innovative concept that combines a bank, co-working area, and café experience all under one roof. Originating in Chile in 2016, this revolutionary concept has now expanded to over 80 locations across the Americas and Europe.

In January 2021, we introduced a Work Café in St Helier, providing a vibrant town centre hub that welcomes both customers and non-customers. This establishment challenges the traditional perception of a high-street branch. Through a partnership with local barista Cargo, the café offers freshly prepared food using locally sourced ingredients from Jersey and sustainably sourced coffee.

Following the success of the Work Café in Jersey, we opened a second Work Café in Douglas, Isle of Man in May 2023.  In collaboration with Noa Bakehouse, we have developed a café, meeting, events, and co-working space within the iconic Market Hall building.

At a time when many banks are closing their high street operations, we are investing in offering customers more opportunities for face-to-face services. Whilst we provide Online Banking and Mobile Banking, the success of the Santander Work Café demonstrates the continued demand for personalised service. Customers highly value having a physical space where they can meet and interact with their Relationship Manager, open new accounts, or arrange mortgages.

With free high-speed Wi-Fi, state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and delicious food and beverages, the Work Café has also become a popular destination for informal meetings and flexible co-working.

What is the role of the Work Café teams?

The Work Café teams are responsible for delivering a fresh and distinctive banking experience.  They serve as ambassadors, representing and promoting the unique benefits of the Work Café both internally and externally within the local community.

They actively encourage the use of co-working and meeting facilities by customers and non-customers alike and manage a schedule of talks and events within the Work Café.

They are also accountable for achieving commercial goals and objectives within the Work Café, including working closely with Cargo in Jersey and Noa in the Isle of Man.  Establishing a strong relationship with the café partner and their staff is essential to ensure that the Work Café consistently delivers a high-quality service experience.

One of the key objectives of the Work Café is to act as the hub for sales activity and be the initial point of contact for new customers. Managing queries from existing bank customers and making appropriate referrals to the relevant banking or mortgage teams.

Feedback is closely monitored and evaluated to drive continuous improvement in customer satisfaction. Trustpilot and Net Promoter Scores are regularly reviewed to ensure that the Work Café exceeds customer expectations.