Five Questions to Ask Your Team

It’s been a difficult few years in financial services. Trust in banks and bankers has been eroded, and consumers are coping with a new economic reality. In fact, all the media bashing of banks and the resulting customer unrest and churn has resulted in a huge opportunity for savvy bankers to acquire new customers and improve retention of their existing customer base.

Is your team prepared? To assess your frontline team’s ability to acquire and retain clients in the current environment, ask yourself these five questions:

1. What are your bankers saying to clients to differentiate your bank from your competitors? Is there a consistent message that accurately reflects your brand?
2. What type of customer-focused training has been provided to your bankers to address the public’s growing concern with the banking industry?
3. How often is your frontline team observed and coached in the art of conducting a quality customer conversation designed to uncover needs?
4. When was the last time your management team received training in coaching and customer-service skills?
5. What formalized process is currently in place to reinforce and embed key sales and service behaviors?

Let us know your thoughts and the questions you’re asking your team.

Cynthia Leverich is Director of Global Business Development for Cohen Brown Management Group, Inc. Johanna Lubahn is Managing Director of Call Center Services for Cohen Brown Management Group, Inc.