26 Payment and counselling offices Derek Montefiore
CI/Sfb: 315, 336, 338 UDC: 725.12, 725.24
Derek Montefiore is a director of Montefiore Chartered Architect
KEY POINT: These are all facilities where security is a major consideration
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Contents 1 Introduction 2 General areas 3 Automatic teller machines (ATMs) and 24 hour lobbies 4 Counters 5 Counselling 6 Provision for people with disabilities
1 INTRODUCTION 1.01 This chapter includes retail premises which do not involve the selling of actual goods to the public. They are generally characterised by the need for greater security for staff and premises than shops selling goods; either because of the attraction to the criminal of the money, etc. held in quantity, or (as in the case of Jobcentre Plus offices) because the customers may be sufficiently distressed to attack the staff. 1.02 In this general category are included:
• Banks societies • Building Post offices • Governmental and local governmental public access offices • The common factor between all these facilities is, as described above, the particular need for security for both staff and public. The methods of achieving such security vary both from time to time, and also between different organisations – even within the same sector. 1.03 While the need for additional security has affected all these facilities, so has a new attitude to the customer. It has now been accepted that he or she is not an interruption to the work of the organisation, but its very raison d’eˆtre. A more welcoming aspect is the common factor of current designs, with soft furnishings and floor coverings taking the place of intimidating and fortress-like interior designs. Another change is the opening-up of the interiors to the street by large shop windows. This both aids security and contributes to the welcoming-in aspect. Supplementary customer facilities such as lavatories, catering and even TV are provided where waiting times are significant – mainly in government and local government offices. Smoking, of course, is now prohibited in offices such as these. 1.04 Banks The great change in the last ten years has been the universal adoption of the ATM, or automatic teller machine, commonly known as a cash dispenser (or colloquially as ‘hole-in-the-wall’). This has reduced the need for counter service and has led to a
shrinkage in both the number and size of bank branches. Further reductions may follow from similar automatic paying-in facilities such are already provided by some building societies. Bank sizes fall into three categories of key branches, middlerange branches and sub-branches. Obviously staffing levels and customer requirements vary between these types. It should be noted that each bank company has a different opinion on priorities and layouts, and has its own laid-down design policy and manual. Consequently, the diagrams are indicative only. 1.05 Building societies Building societies are becoming more like banks: some are even abandoning mutual status. Their operation has also been streamlined by the provision of ATMs, and they also often have automatic facilities for paying in funds. 1.06 Post offices Post offices differ from the other types of facility in this section by not having to provide any counselling facilities. However, they do need to be able to handle quite bulky parcels (often in both directions), and a special position is provided for passing these through the security screen. The Post Office is continually reassessing customer/staff relationships and is attempting to break down physical barriers by opening up serving positions and introducing more retail business. Main post offices are usually sited in city and town centres as a normal retail outlet, and there are occasional sub-post offices in residential areas incorporated into shops. Some new main post offices are franchised inside supermarkets, stationery shops, etc. These are larger and more comprehensive than existing sub-post offices. A rule of thumb to access the allocation of space within a main post office is 40 per cent customer area, 40 per cent staff area and 20 per cent welfare. Where a post shop is included, 45 m2 additional space is provided to the customer area. The sizes of offices vary in each location and an operational assessment is required to calculate the number of serving positions. Once this has been done a factor of 26 m2 is used per serving position. To this is added the additional space for the post shop if this is required. 1.07 Public offices The principal types of governmental and local government public access offices are: housing offices • Council rate and rent payment • Council Department and Pensions (DWP) and Jobcentre Plus • (the successorforofWork Benefits Agency) offices Centres • Law • Community Health Council (CHC) offices. Rent and tax payment offices are very similar to banks and building societies in their requirements. Housing offices, Law Centres and CHC offices are similar in that they are concerned principally with counselling small numbers of people. DWP and Jobcentre Plus offices have to provide counselling for larger numbers and require somewhat different treatment. 26-1
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1.08 CHC (and similar) offices The main function of a CHC office is to give guidance and assistance to those members of the community who are finding it difficult or frustrating to comprehend or understand their National Health Service rights. Similar functions are provided in housing offices and Law Centres. CHC offices are situated in town centres or shopping precincts, where access is easy. The problem may result from language difficulties, frustration in being unable to comprehend a form to be filled in, or queries on access to or experiences of local health services. No money passes hands, but the staff do have to deal occasionally with very distressed individuals. In this respect a pleasing environmental atmosphere is important, and the security of the counsellors must be considered. Mothers and children are welcomed so that it is ideal to have a corner for toys and nappy-changing area in the toilet facilities, though it is emphasised that a creˆche is not necessary. 1.09 Department for Work and Pensions and Jobcentre Plus Offices Branch Jobcentre Plus Offices have been reappraising their image; future designs are expected to be as user friendly as possible. More
so than most other organisations, they have to deal on occasions with customers who become violent. Staff safety and security are paramount, so that screens are an unfortunate but necessary part of reception areas. Both customer and staff areas are close carpeted; easily replaceable carpet tiles are used in customer areas. Customer surveys have identified that they give a high priority to personal privacy. This is reflected in the design of reception points and interview rooms. Jobcentre Plus offices are situated in town centres or where lines of transport converge such as at bus or railway stations.
2 GENERAL AREAS 2.01 Banks The general arrangement for banks is shown in 26.1. The main area is the banking hall. This is an open space divided by a security screen into customer and staff areas. There are two basically different arrangements used by banks: counters and/or desks within the customer area where no • Open money is handled, plus a small number of cashiers’ points behind the security screens
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26.1 Relationship and zoning diagram for a bank
Payment and counselling offices
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26.2 Middle-range bank branch
positions behind security screens, with flexibility as to • All whether they are used for handling money or for giving advice, etc. Some banks install staffed reception/enquiry facilities in prominent positions adjacent to the entrance, or even outside within the 24-hour public lobby (see Section 3). In the customer area, there must be sufficient space for queueing, and positions for writing. As part of their more customer-related policies, bank managers and staff now come out from behind the security screen to meet and talk to them, and perhaps spend a considerable time helping them solve problems. The counselling areas and interview rooms should open directly off the banking hall and be closely connected to them. The back-office area is often part of the banking hall, but is generally (but not always) screened from the customers. With the advent of computers there is less need for this space, which is becoming minimal. Despite the growth of transactions on paper and ‘plastic’, the banks and other payment offices still have to deal with fairly large sums of money. To cope with these there must be a secure backoffice area for staff and a high-security area (strong room or safes) off the back-office area where deliveries are made and cash is stored. The banks, for obvious reasons, are reticent about the details here, both of the planning and also of the arrangements, ensuring only authorised staff can gain access to the various areas. Architects are often asked to provide space only, the fitting-out being done by bank staff themselves after the main contract handover. Staff facilities such as rest-rooms, toilets, etc. are also provided behind the back office. A fire escape from the area behind the security screen is essential, but this introduces a security risk. It is not usual to provide any entrance to bank premises other than through the front door. There is no reason why the security and staff areas could not be on different levels to the banking hall. Plans of some actual banks (which cannot, of course, be identified) are given in 26.2, 26.3 and 26.4.
2.02 Building societies The arrangement of building society offices is generally the same as for banks, although the smaller offices dispense with some of the areas. 26.5 is a plan of a building society office.
26.3 Bank
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26.6 Relationship and zoning diagram for a post office
26.4 Bank 2.03 Post offices The arrangement of a typical main post office is shown in 26.6. The balancing area was where the counter staff periodically checked their book keeping and balance their day’s takings. With the advent of universal computing systems much of this is no longer necessary. However, a small area screened from public view is usually provided. There are also safes or strong rooms as necessary – dependent on the size of the post office. The syphon zones are secure areas and cannot be entered except by authorised personnel. The counter service consists of secure transactions such as cash for pensions, social security, etc. and nonsecure transactions such as stamps, bill paying, vehicle licences and passports. Behind the counters there are racks for forms and each counter position has its own lockable facilities. 26.7 is a plan of a medium-size main post office. There are proposals in hand which will radically change the way Post Office Counters operate, and therefore the design of their offices. Within the open customer area an operator will accept the customer’s form and code it into a teller cash dispenser (TCD) similar to an ATM, which will supply the customer. This will reduce the number of fortress positions necessary, offer more flexibility to the layout and provide quicker and pleasanter service. Similarly, other transactions will be dealt with by automated dispensers, saving both queueing and staff time and numbers.
26.5 Building society
2.04 Community health council offices 26.8 is a zoning plan for a CHC office, and an actual office is shown in 26.9. Near the entrance is an enquiry desk which also doubles for reception interviews or individual counselling. Adjacent to this is a reception/waiting area with display walls and brochure racks. There is also a private zone where further counselling takes place around a low table. The office accommodation can be adjacent or on another floor and is generally about the same area as the entrance waiting and consulting areas. This office area also deals with telephone enquiries.
Payment and counselling offices
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26.7 A post office associated with a sorting office and a parcel-collect facility
26.8 Relationship and zoning diagram for a Community Health Council office
2.05 Jobcentre Plus offices 26.10 is the zoning plan for a Jobcentre Plus office, while 26.11 illustrates one of these. The reception is the first port of call where customers are advised on whether they can be dealt with at a counter or make an appointment for interviewing. The counters deal with general queries, clerical matters and queries on form filling.
Customers requiring counter service stay in the waiting area until there is a position free. Queue control is by ticket, and waiting times can be considerable if the office is particularly busy. Toilet and baby-changing facilities for the customers are therefore essential. A psychological approach has to be considered within the design to cope with extended waiting periods. It is helpful if seats are arranged to avoid eye contact and thus the likelihood of raising tension. They should also be spaced to avoid a rear seat occupier using the seat in front as a footrest. It has also been found that television helps to pass time and reduces tension. Smoking and intoxicant drinking are forbidden on the premises, and this has a market effect on maintaining a cleaner and more pleasant atmosphere and ambience. Offices are generally equipped with machines vending soft drinks and snacks. A guard is provided with a position from which all the customer areas of the office are directly visible, or can be monitored by closed-circuit television. More detailed interviews are dealt with in sessions on an appointment basis. There are four different organisations who all use the counters or interview rooms, although they may also visit customers’ homes: advisers • Benefit Contributions (part of HM Revenue & Customs) • Child Support Agency Agency • Fraud investigators • Depending on the depth of the interview taking place on the premises, a counter or a separate interview room will be used.
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26.9 Community Health Council counselling office
26.11 A Jobcentre Plus office 3 AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINES (ATMs) AND 24 HOUR LOBBIES 3.01 26.12 shows a current design of ATM. ATMs are usually installed within the street frontage of the payment office, accessed by the public from the highway. This sometimes leads to obstruction by queues, and it is perhaps a matter of time before additional planning rules will be imposed.
26.10 Relationship and zoning diagram for a Jobcentre Plus office
3.02 However, it is becoming more common with banks for lobbies to be provided within the building, but generally accessible 24 hours a day. Sometimes these lobbies are fully open to the street, in other
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3.04 As both banks and building societies seek to decrease their overhead costs by reducing staff and closing branches, it is likely that 24-hour lobbies will be installed in shopping areas with no staffed branches associated with them. The design of such lobbies need not vary significantly from the type in 26.2.
a Section
4 COUNTERS 4.01 The major changes in recent years in the design of counters have been: introduction of security screens • The • The universal provision of computer terminals Unfortunately, the perceived increase in lawnessness has extended the use of security counters even beyond banks and the like. Such facilities are now also provided in railway and bus stations. Significantly, railway ticket office positions are twice as long as those provided in banks, building societies and post offices, although there appears to be little functional reason for this.
b Plan
26.12 An ATM cash dispenser designed to be easy to use from a wheelchair cases access is obtained using a bank card, though this in itself can involve other problems: such as the area being used for student parties – this has yet to be overcome! 3.03 Only a few of the larger building society branches are using lobbies at present, but as they become more like banks it is certain that more will do so. 3.04 In the daytime the public lobby area is opened up to the banking or building society hall, with perhaps a reception and enquiry desk. Quick enquiries can be dealt with here, and behind the desk and in a position of major visibility will be an information screen giving latest marketing suggestions. 3.05 In 24-hour lobbies a number of machines both for drawing cash and for paying-in are usually provided. Continuous video surveillance and recording facilities are provided. Customers’ access to bank night safes must be off the street – and not from within any 24hour public lobby. ATMs have to be arranged so that the information projected can only be seen by the user, this is both a prudent security precaution and also a Data Protection Act requirement. 3.06 Banks which operate a 24-hour lobby normally use a glass screen between it and the banking hall. This permits vision into it, and folds completely away during normal banking hours. Access for staff and bullion and cash delivery to banks is always via the front access. A door is provided in the glass screen for when the bank itself is closed to the public. 3.07 ATMs require frequent filling with cash and also need occasional maintenance. These functions are preferably done from the rear, but for awkward situations (such as in 26.3) designs serviceable from the front are available. Rear servicing can be from a service corridor as in 26.2, or from one of the main bank or building society areas as in 26.4.
4.02 Security screens Bank counters used to be open and post office counters used to have wire grilles. Neither is now acceptable by staff as giving them sufficient protection. Screens of bulletproof glass are now ubiquitous. Communication is sometimes through protected apertures above or through the screen, often by means of microphone/ speaker systems. Documents and cash are passed through trays, carefully designed not to compromise the security arrangements. An alternative system which is available but appears to be rarely used is the rising shutter. This is a solid steel shutter contained within the counter. It is operated by a compressed-air mechanism, which when activated by a panic button, causes the shutter to shoot vertically upwards instantaneously. 4.03 Where there is little fear of firearms, but the possibility still exists of physical assault (such as in council housing offices), counters can be designed to be higher and deeper than normal, making it difficult for the enquirer to reach the staff. Staff can either stand or sit on low platforms behind the counter. 4.04 Counter positions for bank, building society and post office staff require much the same facilities: storage tray • Cash terminal • Computer for forms, stamps, postal orders, cheques, etc. • Storage • Personal storage (minimal) In building societies where pass-books are used and cheques are issued for customers’ use, space is also needed at the counter position for a printer linked to the computer. In banks printers are usually placed in the back area, and in some cases cashiers are not even provided with personal terminals. 4.05 Counter designs are of two basic types: counter, 26.13. This is used where no computer • Continuous terminal is required such as in some banks, or where the terminal requires minimal space, such as in a post office.
work position, 26.14, providing additional space for • L-shaped terminal and printer. This design is appropriate for building societies.
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26.13 Section through a counter of continuous type. Allow a length of 1400 mm per staff member
a Plan
a Section b Section
b Plan
c Elevation from the staff side
26.14 An L-shaped desk and counter
26.15 A counter in a Jobcentre Plus office
Payment and counselling offices
4.06 The two types of counter used in Jobcentre Plus offices are shown in 26.15. The reception desks are for short-term enquiries and are, therefore, at standing height. General counters are at sitting height and the customers’ bench is large enough to sit two people. All furniture is robust which allows for considerable wear and tear; all seats are fixed to the floor and all covers are removable for cleaning or replacing if damaged.
5 COUNSELLING 5.01 All these facilities except for post offices need provision for counselling. Banks and building societies advising their customers on their investments or loans are tending away from the ‘two sides of a desk’ system as in 26.16 (although in some circumstances this is still appropriate) and try to foster a more congenial atmosphere. The pod in 26.17 is one example.
26.16 At-desk counselling
26.17 Counselling pod
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In CHC offices counselling is often carried out in even more homely surroundings, sitting around low tables in easy chairs. In Jobcentre Plus offices when the interview rooms with security screens are not used, interviewers still prefer to sit behind a desk rather than use a more informal method. All these areas have to be private, so that no conversation can be overheard. Equally they should not be oppressive or secretive. Acoustic confidentiality is achieved by glazed screens, or by distance. However, some bank customers may not wish to be observed talking to their manager, so at least one of the counselling rooms should not have clear glass between it and the banking hall.
6 PROVISION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 6.01 Operatoirs of this kind of facility are now very aware of the problems experienced by people with disabilities. It is now unusual for payment or counselling offices to be situated above ground-floor level, and level access to the counters and ATMs for people in wheelchairs is all but universal. ATMs and counters are at a height suitable for people in wheelchairs – so they are often uncomfortable for ambulant tall people to use! 6.02 However, ATMs are not at present suitable for people with severe visual impairment, and they need to use the services of a cashier. People with both hearing and seeing deprivation are not, unfortunately, at present well catered for in most payment offices. Sanitary facilities for the public are not provided in payment offices; they generally are in counselling offices where waiting times can be considerable. Where sanitary facilities are provided, disabled toilets and baby-changing facilties need to be included (the latter accessible to both men and women). 6.03 When planning banks or building society offices on more than one level, it should not be forgotten that there may be disabled people on the staff. All areas, including the high-security zone, should be accessible to wheelchairs.