As we recognize National Customer Service Week, we’d like to celebrate our frontline staff—the tellers and customer service representatives (CSRs) who are skilled at providing exemplary service to meet the needs of our customers. Our frontline staff play a pivotal role to the bank’s success, and we are proud to recognize all of them throughout our 19 branches.
“How can I help our customers today?”
Front line staff at a bank represent the face of the bank. Their roles require a strong skill set that includes communication, industry knowledge, personal skills, and tech-literacy. They also need an in-depth knowledge of banking products and services that meet the needs of our customers.
But a knowledge of bank products is only part of the role of a teller or CSR. Their objective is to uncover needs to help the customer with their banking. What do the customers expect of their bank? What factors are important to them when choosing a bank? How can we meet the needs of our customers? Higher interest rates, easy access to accounts, and full range of products are just some features that could influence a customer’s decision to do business with a bank or stay with a bank.
Tellers and CSRs not only need to be aware of the products offered by the bank, but they should be able to relay the benefits and features of all products to the customers. Good customer service includes evaluating the needs of each customer to determine the course of action that would best suit those needs.
“How are you feeling today?”
Interacting with customers is crucial to building a strong, lasting relationship. A friendly smile and warm greeting from a teller when you walk into a bank could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Learning more about them can secure a comfort level for the customer that could be the deciding factor when opening new accounts or loans. In fact, many people prefer in-person transactions because they feel more secure and personal.
Tellers learn to greet customers with a friendly face, positive attitude, and personalized service, especially when customers frequent the bank on a regular basis. Tellers typically know more about customers than other departments. They’re able to initiate conversation about their children or grandchildren or pets. They are the frontline of the bank and can be the reason why a customer chooses to bank with us.
“What are you looking for in a bank?”
A customer service representative, or CSR, can continue the personal banking experience for the customer, helping to build long-term relationships. They will act as a liaison for the customer and a product or service; provide details on the bank’s products; and answer any questions on a customer’s account. As the primary point of contact to the customer, CSRs help the customer determine their specific needs and expectations, explain the loan application process, or clarify deposit account options and then point them in the right direction to meet those needs. By building trust with the customer, a CSR can become the point of contact and source of information for the customer for many years to come.
In today’s digital banking world, person-to-person interaction can sometimes play a secondary role. But a good CSR can help customers understand a slew of banking services like how to incorporate digital banking into their banking process. CSRs can direct a customer to the product that best suits their needs or explain why a loan was denied or where fees are generated. Discussing options with a degree of empathy plays a vital role in relationship-building, with the ultimate goal of fostering relationships that can last for generations.
Tellers and CSRs also play a critical role in keeping our customers safe. With the rising tide of fraud across all industries, our tellers and CSRs become the first line of defense. Recognizing potentially fraudulent transactions is crucial to maintaining the trust of both business and personal customers.
So, as you can see, the frontline staff is crucial to carrying on the important financial traditions at First Keystone Community Bank. And we thank them during National Customer Service Week and beyond for a job well done.
