Where?
Every high street and shopping centre in the UK.
Employers?
All the big banks.
Where does the role fit in?
Almost anyone dealing directly with customers can be described as a customer service and sales representative, but here we are specifically looking at the most high-profile part of the bank – the branch.
What you do
You'll be talking to customers in the branch network. To begin with, you’ll be working as a cashier (as most banks still call the position) and dealing with:
- payments
- deposits
- basic customer services such as ordering a cheque book
- giving the balance of accounts
With a little more experience and training, you could become a personal banker (some banks use other terms), able to:
- interview new customers and help them set up new current or deposit accounts
- help customers to make loan applications
Further down the line you could also be:
- dealing with specialist customers, such as business and premier account holders
- calling customers about problems with their accounts
From this starting point, you can choose to develop a path in sales, specifically dealing with mortgages or financial advice, and taking the regulatory qualifications you need to do this. Alternatively, you can decide to work toward higher banking qualifications and move either into retail branch management or into specialist business banking.
What you need to get the job
Customer service and sales representatives come from many different backgrounds. The role is particularly well suited to school leavers, providing access to a career path, training and qualifications.
The most important requirement is to have a good customer service manner – which basically means being both pleasant and efficient in dealing with people – together with a good understanding of the needs of the customer.
For people looking for part-time and fairly flexible work, being a cashier or a personal banker may perfectly suit their requirements. However, for many this will be the starting point for a whole career in banking. Indeed, the bank will expect you to increase your level of qualifications, and to move into a number of posts both in the branch network and in regional and national centres.
As a result, for certain trainee positions, many banks will want to see GCSE passes at C or above in a number of subjects, usually including Maths and English. Many, if not all, firms will test your communication skills as a part of the selection process, and for some companies your performance in this test is more important than paper qualifications.
Career prospects
Customer service and sales representative can be a job, or it can be the start of a career. Indeed, entering the bank as a trainee in the branch network is the classic way that people join banks. Many chief executives have started out this way, leaving school and becoming a trainee – and their first job was invariably that of cashier. The world is changing, but this is still a good career path.
Career options can include:
- specialising in sales and advisory work - see mortgage adviser Mortgage adviser and Financial adviser
- moving into a specialism such as premier banking (dealing with more complex products for wealthy customers). See Wealth manager or Business banking.
- becoming a management trainee, leading to specialist roles and senior management functions, often through following a career path similar to the graduate programmes run by the major banks. See Retail banking.
Qualifications and career progression
The financial services industry is all about trust. It is an industry that looks after trillions of pounds of our money.
Initially, you will receive training in the company’s own processes and procedures, and be placed into a long-term programme designed to improve your customer service and sales skills. This could include qualifications such as the Customer Service Professional certificate offered by the ifs School of Finance, or various NVQ-level courses that are available.
As you progress, you will be offered the opportunity to acquire additional qualifications that will enhance your career even further. These fall into three key areas:
Income
Starting salaries
These vary from role to role, but are broadly as follows.
Cashier
£11,000 - £16,000 on entry, rising to £14,000 - £18,000 when trained, plus bonuses. These are usually in the 2-5% range, but in some cases can be as much as 30% of salary. Career incomes - for those staying in the branch network
Management trainee
£12,000 - £16,000 on entry, rising to £14,000 - £20,000 when trained, plus commission and bonuses.
Business banker
£12,000 - £14,500 on entry, rising to £14,000 - £20,000 when trained, plus commission and bonuses.
£15,000 - £25,000 plus bonus for experienced personal bankers.
£25,000 - £40,000 plus bonus for local business bankers – see Business banking.
£18,000+ as a mortgage adviser or financial adviser, with potential in some cases to earn in excess of £70,000 – see Mortgage adviser.
£40,000+ in branch management, with the opportunity to earn much more if you reach senior management – see Retail banking for more info.
Many banks will offer a large town allowance for staff who need to live in expensive areas, or commute. Outside London, this will be around £1,000-2,000 where it is paid. While these jobs are fairly rare inside London, expect an extra £2,000-3,000.
Of course, banks and insurers also offer good packages of pensions and other benefits. These may not be of much interest to you now . . . but in the future they will be important!