Five Best Practices for Branch Managers

How do we get others to do what we want them to do?  As a branch manager your job requires you to set expectations for performance; communicate those expectations, and monitor and evaluate the performance. Try these five best practices to promote excellence at your branch. 

1. You engage your team in a discussion of the quality of the work to be done and the time needed to do it so that they have a chance to add their input.  Continuously, you make a constant effort to fit the job to the skills and the needs of the workers.
2. You or a worker you have designated shows or models the job so that the worker who is to perform the job can see exactly what is expected.  At the same time, the workers are continually asked for their input as to what they believe may be a better way.
3. You ask the workers to inspect or evaluate their own work for quality, with the understanding that you are willing to accept that they know a great deal about how to produce high-quality work and will therefore listen to what they say.
4. You act as a facilitator in that you show workers that you have done everything possible to provide your team with the best tools and workplace as well as a non-coercive, non-adversarial atmosphere in which to do the job.
5. You routinely provide 20 minute coaching sessions to every member on your team to encourage excellence and to allow the employee to share their findings about inspecting and evaluating their own work.

    Want your staff to meet, even exceed, expectations?  Put these best practices to work!

    Still learning, 

    Honey

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More Cross-Selling Tips for Bankers

Prepare for Objections

When timing is good always find out what the customers objections, concerns or reservations are when you suggest a product or service.  Gentle probing will help you and your company in several ways:

When you know why the customer won’t buy you can share more information or clarify facts.

When customer’s resist or don’t perceive a product is valuable the company needs to be aware of how frequently that is happening.  It could be pricing or product features need to be adjusted.

Remember these tips when preparing for anticipated objections.

·         Don’t take "no" as an answer every time.  When it seems right, find out why a customer objects to a product or service.

Mrs. Lewis, tell me about your reservations.

·         Restate what they said and encourage more conversation

You just don’t feel comfortable paying bills online, tell me more about that.

·         Encourage the customer to share about their opinion, concerns or experience.

Tell me more about that.

·         Use the feel, felt, found formula:

I understand how you feel. Other customers have told me they felt that way. Let me share with you what they found out.

Put these tips to work for you as you develop the skills of effective cross-selling.  For more information on this topic, click here for free tools and articles in our web store.

Still learning,

Honey

Cross-Selling Tips for Bankers

You must always set the stage for cross-selling with excellent service and a positive image.  Start your day off with cleaning up your work area, stocking it with supplies and marketing material.  Include brochures, business cards and if you have a special offer create a tent card for your window by tastefully mounting a screen shot or newspaper ad for display. Clear picture frames make excellent props for displaying brochures or advertising. Focal points generate conversation so you will want to support any effort the company has put forth in statement stuffers, signage and advertising.

There is an old adage that goes like this “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”  How you convey that you care begins with a smile. 

Be Inquisitive, Engaging and Prepared

• Appear friendly and approachable
• Introduce yourself, look them in the eye
• Use their name
• When it’s appropriate start and end on a handshake
• Pay them a sincere compliment
• Get to know them as a person
• Engage them with questions that express care and interest

“How’s your week going?”

“Tell me about your family,”

“Tell me about your work.”

“What’s new with you?”

“Have any big plans for this time of the year?”  

Put these tips to work for you and you will ace your job at the branch!   

Still learning,

Honey 

Teller Training - Cross-Selling Skills Series

Setting the Stage

You must always set the stage for cross-selling with excellent service and a positive image.  Start your day off with cleaning up your window, stocking it with supplies and marketing material.  Include brochures, business cards and if you have a special offer create a tent card for your window by tastefully mounting a screen shot or newspaper ad for display.  Clear picture frames make excellent props for displaying brochures or advertising.  Focal points generate conversation so you will want to support any effort the company has put forth in statement stuffers, signage and advertising.

There is an old adage that goes like this “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”  How you convey that you care begins with a smile. 

·         Appear friendly and approachable

·         Offer your name, look them in the eye

·         Use their name

·         Whenever it’s appropriate start and end on a handshake

·         Pay them a sincere compliment

·         Get to know them as a person

·         Engage them with questions that express care and interest

Ø  “How’s your week going?”

Ø  “Tell me about your family.”

Ø  “Tell me about your work.”

Ø  “What’s new with you?”

Ø  “Have any big plans for this time of the year?”

·        Sometimes they have someone with them, ask about the other person, this could be an entrée to more conversation

Ø  “Who is this you have with you today?”

·         Always inquire how satisfied the customer is with your company.

Ø  “Before today when was the last time you visited the branch?  How did we do?”

Stay tuned for how to exceed what is expected of you by the company and what you need to do to exceed what the customer expects from their financial institution.  More to come...

Still learning,

Honey