Buildings don't make a bank: how GoTyme Bank's branchless model is redefining customer support

Customer service has always been central to banking, but how customers engage with their banks has changed dramatically. Technology has reshared expectations, and in today’s world, buildings don’t make better banks.

By removing the cost and complexity of traditional branch networks, GoTyme Bank (formerly TymeBank), invests more into what customers actually use: smarter technology, better security, and accessible human support. The result is a banking experience designed around people, not physical locations.

Can digital-first also be people-first?

Modern banking sits at the intersection of efficiency and human connection. Customers want speed and convenience, but they also want to speak to real people when it matters. Achieving a balance between humanisation, digital transformation, and person-to-person interaction is very challenging, especially in the financial sector.

Banks must have an in-depth understanding of what is possible with technology, what customers appreciate from physical engagement points, and how to give customers a digital-first banking experience that also puts people first.

Enter GoTyme Bank.

Instead of retrofitting technology into a branch-heavy model, GoTyme Bank was designed to be digital-first from the start — with human support built in, not bolted on. This allows the bank to deliver both efficiency and meaningful customer interactions without compromise.

Why branchless banking benefits the customer

There’s a common misconception in banking that removing branches means sacrificing customer support. In reality, the opposite is true.

When GoTyme Bank was launched in 2019, it was clear from the start that the banking industry’s status quo would be challenged in more ways than one. At the time, banks didn’t exist without branches and technology was a tool to support in-branch customer delivery. GoTyme Bank didn’t share this traditional thinking.

The vision was to prove that a bank doesn’t need expensive branches or complicated fee structures to deliver exceptional banking. To achieve this, GoTyme Bank would strategically combine smart technology and responsive human support to set a new benchmark in customer-centric banking.

GoTyme Bank combined its digital platform with a network of convenient, real-world touchpoints that fit naturally into customers’ lives. Through kiosks manned by helpful brand ambassadors  in retail stores, cash services at till points, and now expanding Customer Hubs in malls, customers still get in-person support where and when they need it.

By eliminating traditional branch infrastructure and adopting this ‘phygital’ model, which is a combination of physical and digital access, GoTyme Bank has been able to invest more capital and resources in the technology, security, and innovation of a new customer service experience.

Empowering the everyday South African customer

GoTyme Bank is expanding dedicated Customer Hubs in malls, designed to offer more focused, in-person support. At the same time, kiosks in TFG and Boxer stores will continue to assist customers. Customers can also continue to withdraw and deposit cash at Pick n Pay stores nationwide.

Cheslyn Jacobs, CEO of GoTyme Bank, says this evolution reflects the bank’s commitment to serving customers in smarter ways.

“Our investment in Customer Hubs allows us to bring enhanced banking experiences closer to where our customers already are. These touchpoints are designed to fit naturally into their daily lives,”  says Jacobs. He adds that over the past year, the bank has also invested significantly in expanding its support capacity, ensuring customers can reach real, helpful people when they need to.

The new GoTyme Bank Customer Hubs prove that banking doesn’t need branches to feel personal. By combining digital efficiency with meaningful human support, the bank is creating a model that delivers real value to everyday South Africans and proves that going branchless isn’t a limitation, it’s an advantage.

To find a GoTyme Bank kiosk, customers can visit: www.gotyme.co.za/personal/service/kiosk-locator