If you had any reason to doubt whether customer preferences really are shifting away from the branch model and toward digital channels, doubt no longer. First Niagara Financial Group announced it will close 17 branches and two off-premise drive-through locations across its four-state footprint early next year.

"Across the financial services industry, branch traffic and the number of transactions handled per branch are declining, and self-service transactions are increasing. First Niagara is no different," Mark Rendulic, First Niagara executive vice president of consumer financial services, said in a statement. "A majority of customers prefer online, mobile and ATMs for simple transactions – and their use of these technologies is growing. Branches remain a critical part of our business; as customers value personal interaction for life-changing investments and more complex banking transactions. As customer preferences continue to change, we are committed to evolving our branch network and our in-branch services to keep pace with their needs."

Of the 17 branches to be closed, just two are located in Massachusetts. First Niagara will close its branch at 1440 Westfield St. in West Springfield and its Chicopee branch on 637 Front St.

The move may come as no surprise to bankers, who have watched customer preferences shift away from branch networks and toward online and mobile channels. In a press release announcing the move, First Niagara estimated that approximately 200,000 of its customers use its mobile banking channels and more than half a million use its online banking channel.

The company said it will send written notices to customers of the branches in question 90 days in advance of the closing date. First Niagara said in the press release that the majority of the receiving branches are within three miles of the closing branch and that customer accounts would automatically be moved to the receiving branch.

According to First Niagara, the employees at those 17 branches will either transition to new, customer-facing roles or will have the opportunity to apply for any of more than 200 open positions within the company.