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Interest Rates Forum
Tuesday, 19 August 2008
How are interest rates affecting you at work? Have your targets been adjusted? Is it harder to sell credit products? Are you getting flack from customers over something you have no control over? If you work in the insurance sector, are interest rates affecting the level of cover taken out by your customers? Share your story here.
Our Sales/ referal targets have always been any new product - savings a/c, P/L, Credit card, transaction a/c. These are already hard enough to come by, but at our last Sales Meeting we were asked to "try not to sell the ISaver because the Bank does not make enought profit on it". So we are expected to forego our sale, so that the Bank can make more profit????!!!?
(As you are saying, basically the Bank will only be happy if we are forcing more people into debt.)
Getting off the topic, but:
Firstly, we only ever seem to be judged on numbers, regardless of the effort or work an individual puts in. We are trying to reach our Targets, but at the same time being discouraged. Already being on RTW from stress, I personally found this to be just another nail in the coffin of my future career, and my return to good mental health.
We are told by Branch Management not to "over-service" our customers. ( tell them to come back, tell them to make an appt, tell them no-one's available at the moment - mainly due to staff shortages, sometimes simply laziness). At the same time I recently was required to complete a Training programme which was telling us that "Bank Policy" is to answer customers queries at the first meeting, take responsibility, be accountable etc. etc. ). As a Teller on the front line it is myself that is required to make the excuses to the customer , and I am being forced in fact to go against 'Bank Policy" by my immediate superiors.
I have gone to Managers for Authorisations which only they can give (for large amounts and signatures etc) and they have wanted me to say that I am happy to accept it, as they are my customer, when the system says that I do not have that authority and need their approval. I am not authorised to make decisions but the Manager will want me to accept responsibility before they will authorise it. - still leaving me responsible.
Not only do I have to defend Bank or Branch Management decisions, but I also have numerous complaints each day from customers about the ATM not working, Fees being charged, the lack of staff, the tel calls not returned by Managers. As Senior staff are now all positioned behind the scenes they do not see the queue or hear the complaints. When I have asked for support from my superiors to face customers complaints I am usually brushed off, with, "what do you want me to do?", "tell them no-one is available right now" etc. etc. and I have to return to face more abuse from the customer. Often knowing in myself that I am telling a lie. .Meanwhile the rest of the queue are seeing myself as the person holding them up.
I have also recently been told by my supervisor that I should "learn to lie", to make life easier for everyone. I am constantly seeing other members of staff lie to satisfy Management, but because I do not want to do this I am treated like I do not try or care. My supervisor turns a blind eye to the lies because then she appears to be doing her job of coaching etc. and it does not cause waves, meanwhile I am made to feel bad for not lying.
I have been made to feel very uncomfortable and embarrased at how pushy my colleagues have sometimes been, to force someone to make an appointment etc. and I have known that the customer is also very uncomfortable and just gives in to get away.
I have been shocked to hear on numerous occasions, a Teller that I have been working next to all day, give a list of sales conversations they have had during the day - I know that not even 1 of the 10 has actually happened, the Supervisor listening also knows and yet the Manager is happy to believe it and all is well.
One day we were 2 tellers short on the counter and I found it impossible to have "sales conversations" with many customers, but when I was honest and said this, the Manager said I had " failed to even meet minimum expectations". I was not given an opportunity for any explanation and the Teller that had lied was sitting pretty. It appears to me that "minimum expectation" in the Branches is that we can be good liars. No credit at all given for the fact that I had not been able to move from the counter all day apart from Lunch break. While Managers and others can be heard having a joke and a coffee .
I am sick of the games that are played in the Branches, and the people who could stand up and attempt to state a case but just avoid the truth and lie and cover-up. Don't they realise they are not doing anyone a favour. I tried to explain that if we continue to lie, saying that we have been doing things we have not, Management will only be expecting more and more anyway, so we are shooting ourself in the foot.
I do get frustrated at the lack of staff in branches, particularly the lack of relief staff available. But I have to say that some Senior staff in Branches are contributing to the problems by burrying their heads in the sand and living lies, simply to keep the peace. This is only going to create greater problems down the track. And it is definately not a Healthy environment to be working in.
Main Management is living in one Story Book, but we seem to be living a totally different reality out in the Branches and no-one will stand up and be honest. I have recently found it neccessary to follow bank policy and procedure, because I could not lie, and I can tell that I will have to suffer for it at Branch level. We are coached one way and forced to act another.
My career has been ruined by lies and now if I am to fit in and continue in my job ( I have given up on seeing it as a career) I am expected to give in and learn to lie. - To Management and customers. - Not Me !
Thanks for the opportunity to "air" a little. Sorry for going on, but I find it helpful to write, to get things off my chest.
Posted by
1027209
at
20/08/2008 10:55:09 PM
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I have been working in one of the big banks for several years. Over the years, the only thing that I hate about the job as a teller is the sales targets, but I have soon realised that it's part of the job and I have to accept it. It's the tactis that we had to use that was unbearable. Customers are sick of listening to every tellers that served them asking almost the same question, again and again. We are abused by customers, and do you think the manager or area office will understand ? Noooo. They will just give you an excuse and perhaps more coaching on how to overcome this objection. Sigh.
I'm talking on behalf of not only myself but other staffs too. Now not only I have to be stressed by the targets, I also have to worry about giving bad service to customers with the latest Customer Service Survey. We have to introduce our name to every customer, use their name at least once, and don't forget to sell them something.
My branch is quite big and busy, and shortstaff is a regular occurence, but the manager doesn't want to hire a casual with reason that they might give bad customer service when surveyed, so to save money, too, every one has to jump in to help, if they have the time. Tellers are not getting their targets, especially the specialists (home loans, FUM) because we are trying to give our best service at shortest time. Manager not happy, so we have to give out brochures with specialist's name cards at certain number each day, and have to write the customers' id number (that we had given the brochures to). Why ? Because they want to check on whether we are doing our 'job'.
Manager also said that if we're not doing well with our target, the manager can transfer us to any branch or even dismiss, with the backing of the area office. no one, not even union can do anything about it. how's that ? nice eh ?
I'm very stressed and thinking about having a career break or stress leave, but even to do that i'm stressing about how to tell my manager without the worry that it will affect my 'reputation'. Cannot do this anymore.
Posted by
2626246
at
2/09/2008 6:58:49 AM
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Have your targets for sales of credit products decreased since the financial crisis intensified?
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