Giant wooden clogs and a model windmill attest to the bank's Dutch origins. But instead of selling espresso machines and coffee grinders as a sideline, the cafe pushes bank accounts. A chalkboard above the cash registers gives interest-rate information as well as beverage prices and a list of the day's baked goods. Bank staff members make brochures available, handle questions and open new accounts. Coffee is free for ING customers.
Customers say the friendly, laid-back atmosphere in the shop is part of the bank's appeal.
ING Direct Canada says it expects to be profitable by the end of next year. Meanwhile, ING is using similar strategies in Australia, Spain and France. ING Direct says its total online customer base has surged 62 percent since the second half of 1999. In the United States, ING Direct says it already plans cafes for New York, Philadelphia and Wilmington, Del., its U.S. headquarters. E-mail this story to a friend.