This is what Micro-D International, Inc. (MDI) believes as they take the lead in advocating real Digital Transformation (DX) in the Philippines, one where the DX Trinity—design, the physical space, and the brand’s aspirations—exist in harmony to create a remarkable customer experience.

MDI believes that any design is an incomplete design if it does not prioritize the integration of technology within a physical space and aligns itself with the brand’s promise.

“The challenge for businesses today is how they can integrate their back-end with their front to bring their brand aspirations to life,” MDI chief executive officer Myla Villanueva says. “Look at other innovation pioneers, like Apple or GoPro. Every groundbreaking technology today should take into consideration the human element and interaction and how it complements its surroundings.”

The Ark, Unionbank's brand new digitally integrated bank branch, is located along Ayala Avenue, right in the heart of Makati's Central Business District.

The Ark is a refreshing space that uses digital technology to augment an actual banking experience. It has been a very interesting project for MDI simply because of what they were able to accomplish given the kind of vision UnionBank shared with them.

What followed was a long process of going back to the basics and understanding the intricacies and the details of every customer’s point of interaction inside the bank. MDI looked at every process, every engagement, every interaction a customer goes through their journey in a branch.

Then, they researched and experimented on how they could make each process more effective and efficient, and how they can delight the customer by maximizing the DX Trinity.

The result was a space where clients can move around freely, make themselves feel comfortable, order a free latte at the coffee bar, or log on to the Internet to get some work done.

The ARK also becomes an avenue for off-site productivity, encouraging creative tech ideas not just from its partners but from its customers as well. Still, within the space, there is a very powerful technology that allows customers to save time, fulfill their usual routines, enjoy a more hassle-free banking experience, and interact with the space positively