Most people know that banks love to avoid overhead. They invented the automated teller machine, closed branch locations, invested in IVR and Telephone banking systems, and heavily promote online banking, all in an effort to reduce costs, and thus increase the profit margin. --An effort to keep customers out of their branches. The fewer people who need to talk to a human to do their business, the fewer humans the big bank needs to have available to talk back.So why then would a bank branch hold a "Customer Appreciation Day"? (beyond the obvious answer of 'to appreciate their customers') Why would they encourage people who are content to use an ABM or bank online, to come into the branch that one day of the year to get (and I quote) "free coffee, and maybe some donuts and fruit". What is the value to the bank? Are they attempting to win our hearts and minds with some free coffee, or do they have an elaborate plan to sit me next to a financial adviser who will attempt to convert me/sell me a product/upgrade an existing product?
Or is it just a branch manager trying to 'connect' with his local audience. In all likelihood, the people who would attend would be from the neighbourhood, right? Locals who would know the bank tellers by name, and would likely visit weekly or more to withdraw their money. Old people.
There isn't a reason in the world (other than a donut addiction) that would bring a normal, web-savvy, 30-something into a bank specifically to benefit from the Customer Appreciation Day.
What I would like to see is a message on the screen of the ABM when I do a transaction that day that simply says "In appreciation for your business, we've waived all fees today. We thought you're account could use that a little more than free coffee and a donut." Also, if this was more than just an eager branch manger, I think we'd see the standard signs in the sign holders, not a printout from the computer, taped up on the doors and windows.