“We will not leave any customer behind…” despite the demonstrations, five Crédit Agricole branches will close in Aveyron

In recent weeks, several elected officials have stepped up to the plate in West Aveyron, in Firmi and Lanuéjouls, against the announced closure of bank branches. Despite these mobilizations, these agencies, like those in Salles-Curan, Villefranche-de-Panat and Saint-Sernin-sur-Rance, will close at the end of December.

“A mandatory reorganization”

“It’s a mandatory reorganization to adapt to new customer expectations,” underlines Pascal Duprat, deputy director of the Nord Midi-Pyrénées regional fund. “Customer relations have been transformed in recent years, with increasing use of digital tools, accelerated since Covid. Customers are increasingly autonomous.”

According to Crédit Agricole, the agencies concerned only welcome one or two people per day. “There are no job cuts in our teams,” says Pascal Duprat. “This is absolutely not a cowering of Crédit Agricole but a desire to be dynamic to support the development of the territory. There are much fewer customer trips to the agency, but they require more interactions and support , particularly farmers and professionals.

“We continue to crisscross rural areas”

Still according to management, these agency closures will allow “more personalized monitoring”. “Our presence in the field will be strengthened with advisors who will go to customers' homes, so that they can show us their problem needs directly on site. We continue to cover rural areas and be even more present in the field “.

Closing at the end of December

The closure of the five agencies must be effective at the end of the year. For the moment, no new demonstrations have been announced. “These demonstrations are the expression of legitimate concern,” adds Pascal Duprat. “We will not leave any customer behind. We will be very attentive to the most vulnerable customers and those who do not master digital tools. This is not the end but the continuation of this story.”

As a reminder, ticket machines will still be available in closed agencies. The empty premises should eventually be transformed into a business or service house. “We will analyze it on a case-by-case basis, but we want to create living spaces,” continues the deputy director. “We are not going to leave and leave ghost premises.”