Wachovia

Challenge:
Wachovia Bank engaged ImagePoint in November 2002 about converting 235 retail branches and 330 ATM's in Georgia to the new Wachovia by early April 2003. In January 2003, we were awarded an additional 561 full-retail branches and 136 ATM's in North and South Carolina due to issues with another vendor in Florida. The total scope of work became 796 retail branches and 466 ATM's (114 closing sites were added as well where scope of work was to do removals only). The conversion timeline was not shifted due to these added sites.

Solution:
We quadrupled our project team and performed detailed capacity planning to determine how many signs our manufacturing facilities could complete each week to hit the necessary requirements. A detailed resource plan and execution process was created not only for internal direction, but for reporting to Wachovia as well. ImagePoint was providing turnkey solutions. We were responsible for landlord approvals, permitting, variances, manufacturing, installation, quality checks, and budgeting. The added scope required an exhaustive team effort and everyone from project assistants to the VP of Sales were involved in the execution of this project.

Results:
The project was a resounding success. Long lead permit sites were the only locations not converted by the conversion deadline. However, from our experience in the industry, we had communicated this to Wachovia weeks in advance and had an alternative branding solution in place for these sites on conversion weekend. The team leader had traveled to Charlotte, NC to be at Wachovia headquarters to answer questions and provide direction to Wachovia's project team as completions were reported, but the project was so far ahead of schedule, he was allowed to return home the day before conversion deadline and finish the project from our office in Knoxville.

As a result of our performance on this conversion, Wachovia has awarded ImagePoint two additional full retail bank conversion projects and three non-retail conversion projects in addition to the new construction regions awarded throughout the years. Since 2002, ImagePoint has sustained the relationship with Wachovia and are currently one of only five signage partners across the US.