Being involved in a bank robbery was a frightening experience for Shruti
Jumani. But the second and third time it happened, she had better coping skills.
"Being robbed at a bank is always an adrenal experience," she says. "It's
nothing like shown in the movies. The majority of bank robberies happen really
quietly where the next person may not even be aware of it happening."
Although bank robberies do happen, they are rare.
Jumani now works on a banking team for a securities company. She came to
the job after gaining experience as a customer service representative
(CSR) at a bank.
"In terms of core functions, my role (and the role of my team as a whole)
is very similar to that of a bank teller," says Jumani.
Basic CSR/teller duties include processing deposits, paying bills and withdrawing
money for clients. Some CSRs also issue money orders, drafts, travelers' checks
and process wire transfers for clients. CSRs typically find work at banks,
savings institutions or credit unions, as well as other finance or insurance
companies.
Jumani says CSRs must have an eye for detail. For example, when clients
write checks to Jumani's firm, Jumani must verify that the dates on the checks
are valid. She makes sure that the amounts written in words match the numbers,
and she checks the currency. She then appropriately credits the money to the
clients' accounts.
In addition to having eagle eyes, it's very important for CSRs to have
good people skills, says Jumani.
"On a daily basis, a CSR meets an average of 40 clients," she says. "Most
are regular clients and do all their transactions with a teller. It becomes
important to develop a relationship with these clients, as the 'personal-touch'
is why most of these clients will prefer a particular bank or branch."
It's not always possible for CSRs to meet their clients' needs at prices
the clients like. This can be a challenge. "Unreasonable clients, or clients
that just want to unleash their frustration on the teller is the hardest part
of the job," says Jumani.
Darlene Kunz enjoys working with the public and talking to people. She
also enjoys the banking business. For many years she worked in the loans department
of a bank. She decided to switch to a job as a teller at a credit union eight
years ago. She says it's a great part-time job for her as she heads toward
retirement.
Kunz has seen the job evolve over the years. Many of the teller/CSR's responsibilities
have become automated. For instance, not so long ago, CSRs prepared statements
for clients, and then sent them their canceled checks. That's not done anymore,
says Kunz. Checks are now imaged and made available to clients online.
To make up for the lighter workload, some financial institutions are training
their CSRs to offer more to their clients or members. CSRs need to learn about
the bank's financial products and services. Then they can match customers
with services that suit them.
"If you notice somebody has a lot of money in a low-interest savings account,
you would be remiss if you didn't point it out," says Kunz. She would suggest
some options to the client to help them better invest their money. If they
were interested, she would then refer them to the appropriate staff member.
"If you're young, you have to be ambitious," says Kunz. She says working
as a CSR is a great summer job for students or for those who want part-time
work. It could be a stepping stone to an accounting career or another job
in the banking industry. She says ambitious employees can enter as CSRs, and
then move into other areas of the bank or credit union.
That's just what John Callahan did. He first gained experience as a teller.
Then he learned to open accounts and loans as a CSR. From there, he was promoted
to a consumer banker position at a bank in Chicago, Illinois.
As a CSR, Callahan enjoyed doubling as a salesman. He liked talking to
people about different types of accounts and credit cards. "The big part of
being a CSR is introducing the client to an idea and seeing if he or she is
open to that idea," he says. However, for many of his co-workers, the process
of selling was not appealing.
Security is another important aspect of the CSR job. CSRs must watch out
for fraudulent checks. They must limit the amount of cash on hand. Cash over
a certain amount is counted, tagged and locked away. And CSRs must keep their
clients' personal and financial information safe.
"You have to make sure that people coming into the bank and asking for
information on accounts are actually signers on the accounts. If you're not
a signer on the account, you are not allowed any information about that account
at all," says Callahan. He says CSRs must be alert at all times and be able
to recognize suspicious activities.
Callahan encourages young people to consider CSR jobs. "It's an excellent
springboard for other opportunities within the bank or getting into other
banks," he says.