"I think customers are wanting to bank in their pajamas, so to speak, and stay at home."
Bank of America plans to close its W. Sunshine St. drive-thru in February.
It's part of a nationwide move by Bank of America to modify its operations due to changing consumer demands.
The once novel idea of banking with a teller from the comfort of your own car is not so hot anymore.
"We're seeing that customers are changing their banking preferences and their behaviors have changed," said Diane Wagner, a spokesperson for Bank of America. "So we've been modifying our certain banking center locations based on those habits."
Those habits are now dominated by online and mobile banking. As a result, Bank of America has begun closing its drive-thru tellers across the nation.
"What we're finding is the drive-up teller usage is low," said Wagner.
Shane Cowger, Sales Manager at Arvest Bank on West Republic Rd., said banks nationwide are considering these changes to improve business operations and ultimately save costs.
"It's about convenience is really what it is," said Cowger. "I think customers are wanting to bank in their pajamas, so to speak, and stay at home."
Drive-thru tellers may be disappearing, but Cowger said the face-to-face in-store experience of banking is here to stay.
"While the brick and mortars are certainly getting smaller, I would argue, they're not those traditional 20,000 square-foot banks that you would see back in their days. But I still believe, and we believe as an organization, that the branch is an important outlet and customers still want to come into a branch," said Cowger.
"It may be one less way to make a transaction, but there are still options- mobile, online, telephone, and in store- that you can count on.
Bank of America's W. Kearney St. and S. Campbell Ave. locations will also be affected by the changes-- those drive-thrus will be closed on Saturdays.
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