A Bank that's not a Bank

Washington Mutual is trying to turn the concept of banking upside-down. They've begun to roll out branches that look much more like retail stores than banks.

Gone are the teller lines, ropes, and much of what one would consider a typical banking experience. Gone also are power suits and the austere disposition common in many other establishments - employees wear khakis and plain blue shirts, and spend their days at "towers," stations out in the open where customers can approach them with whatever concerns they have. There's also a "concierge desk" to help people quickly find what they need, and even a space for kids to hang out and play video games while their parents take out a loan or open a checking account.

The company has grown by a factor of 10 in the past decade. While some people would chalk that up to their aggressive buying of other companies, but they've also managed to acquire over a million new customers independent of mergers and acquisitions. The reason? Offering people what they want, and being willing to take risks and pleasantly surprise their customers.