How to Become a Branch Service Representative
Career News February 23, 2014Your job as a branch service representative is essentially to represent the credit union on behalf of the bank. This requires a professional demeanor and a positive attitude. You will be helping the membership, and offering advice about products and services of the lending institution. One part of this job is sales, and you will be expected to cross-sell products that coincide with the customer’s request.
Learning the Requirements of Branch Service
This is a job that requires communication, and specifically, the ability to chat with prospective clients or existing account holders adhering to high standards of customer service. Customers and prospective customers will request this information and your job is to provide help, all the while promoting company sales. Many of these requests involve questions regarding credit unions, eligibility and other requirements, loan guidelines, insurance issues, bank statements and dividend information.
This means that understanding a bank’s operation, particularly your branch, is essential to excellent customer service. In order to sell the product you have to know the product first; you will also make a special effort to understand and empathize with the client. In addition to phone sales, you might distribute bank information, disburse loans that have been approved, and open new accounts. However, as you develop further in your training, you will be called upon to stop payment requests, deduct payroll, handle ATM pin change requests, address client requests for new services, and learn other information related to member information. Eventually, you are expected to provide assistance to the rest of your team, giving them support and instruction. You reach out locally in the community and ensure that you are in compliance with all legal requirements. In general, light travel and some overtime may be required.
Getting the Job
This is a job that involves heavy sales and customer service experience, which explains why many banks prefer to hire workers with college degrees or equivalent experiences. Nevertheless, some banks will consider entry-level applicants with only a high school diploma. In terms of work experience, this type of job does not typically go to a green worker, but someone with at least two years of customer service experience or sales experience. There is an exceptional need of communication—the ability to talk to customers and to managers and other co-workers. Appearance means a great deal in banking or any profession where investment must be earned, and so your appearance reflects on your abilities.
Showing yourself as an expert in numbers is just as important as showing expertise in computer operation, since many of your daily tasks will be performed through online software. Microsoft Windows is a start, though working with some database system would also be considered a highly relevant skill. Employers want to know that you will understand basic concepts of banking, including concepts, practices and procedures that are universally accepted in the industry.
If you want to break into banking and learn more while you train at a beginner’s level, this is the perfect start. It will provide you with relevant experience as you chart a successful career course.
