A teller team is the face of your financial institution, providing customer service in an environment where security of assets and information is paramount to maintaining your clients’ trust. Additionally, the financial sector was not immune to the labor shortage, so cultivating and retaining a successful, happy talent pool is also of critical importance.
Below, we will discuss each station of a teller in your bank or credit union, and provide guidance on considerations to empower them, frankly making their jobs easier. When you invest time and budget in training, cash management automation, team culture, and overall security, your employees will shine and deliver returns on those investments.
Meeting branch employees where they are
When considering the ways to best support your tellers and maximize their efficiency, it is important to understand the demands of the different roles and stations they have in your branch. Analyzing their tasks and security concerns will help you to alleviate inefficiencies created by lack of training, safety concerns, and/or outdated equipment.
In a recent blog post, we discussed best practices for training your branch teams, tellers included. It is important to train your tellers in the areas they support, giving them relevant information without overloading. Providing self-service materials such as one-page desk aids or a training video repository can ensure that they have reference material when they need it, on a variety of topics from using new technology to security protocols.
- Inside the branch: The team members who diligently serve customers inside your branch’s four walls keep business flowing every day. They multi-task, often balancing multiple needs and requests of clients and processing high volumes of cash. Any opportunity to provide cash automation not only tames their workload, but drives down the rate of human error. Additionally, these tellers must be trained on security measures to protect themselves, your customers, and the valuables inside the bank or credit union–so any security products and training will afford them greater peace of mind, and an easier workday.
- Drive-thru lanes: In-person teller staff also support drive-thru lanes, which come with their own set of challenges that must be considered. Time is of the essence in a drive-thru transaction, as clients typically seek to get in and out as quickly as possible. Drive-thru tellers are more exposed to weather elements and other outdoor security concerns, so glass and transaction drawers that are sealed from weather and bulletproof-rated provide a layer of protection. Pneumatic tubes, although not new technology, can also provide a quick means of exchanging cash, keeping your drive-thru lane moving.
- Remote video tellers: Video tellers exist in harmony with ITM (Interactive Teller Machine) capabilities, offering support to customers who walk up or drive through to withdraw cash, make deposits, or pay bills. While remote video tellers often enjoy the flexibility and security that comes with working from a home office, a downside is that they may feel disconnected from the in-person branch team. Branches continue to stay relevant as customers seek human interaction: the personal touch and financially nurturing culture that many financial institutions seek to provide. That mindset also applies to your team; when they feel connected to each other, even while sitting offsite, they express more satisfaction and deliver a higher output. Jostle agrees, saying, “Connection is perhaps the most crucial component in building a productive and efficient workplace. Why? Because connected teams drive collaboration, nurture healthy working relationships, and promote knowledge-sharing. The more connected we are as colleagues, the more efficient our workplace will be.”
Recommended products to support your teller team’s efficiency
- Bill counters, referred to in their more elevated form as currency discriminators, can quickly count through a high volume of cash. This process accelerates your teller’s pace of work, also reducing human error as it differentiates among currency note values. Additionally, currency discriminator models such as the Cassida Pro Series Zeus can detect bills unfit for circulation due to fraud or wear through UV detection or a magnetic sensor, sorting them into a “reject” bin and delivering a message regarding the issue.
- Virtual access control allows your teller staff to enter certain buildings, or even zones of buildings such as the safe room in your branch or business. The access can be based on users (specific employees), roles (such as tellers), and/or time (e.g. normal business hours.) Solutions like the DMP Virtual Keypad allow them to access these areas using mobile credentials instead of traditional keys, also offering simpler maintenance to your IT and security teams.
- Teller cash recyclers such as the Glory Global RBG-100 model are miniature safes that sit on a teller’s workstation, counting and discerning currency then storing it in cassettes to be redistributed, or “recycled”, when a client requests a cash withdrawal. Glory says, “Few things frustrate your customers more than waiting to be served in your branches. Teller cash recycler and coin solutions accelerate cash transactions at the counter enhancing staff productivity and reducing queues. Reducing intra-day vault buys and sells as well as start and end of day balancing, teller automation is key to improving branch profitability.”
- Hyosung ITMs, such as the MX8300D drive-thru unit, MX8300I island-format ITM, and MX8300T through-the-wall unit, can also help support teller volume. These highly capable machines not only dispense cash, but can process deposits. The video teller option spreads the work out among your staff, meaning that in-person tellers can continue supporting clients while the remote video staff answers questions virtually through the ITM.
- Verint EdgeVR 300, Wittenbach partner Verint’s top-of-the-line NVR (Network Video Recorder) surveillance system, runs on digital IP cameras that store data on the cloud. This high-resolution successor to the traditional DVR (Digital Video Recorder) system not only deters incidents when would-be criminals see cameras inside and outside your branch footprint, it has facial recognition technology that can run intruders’ faces against a database to catch them more quickly in the event of a breach. This layer of safety helps tellers to feel at ease during the work day, and also supports their security efforts if an emergency occurs.
Your financial institution’s employees are your most vital resource, and with the tips and resources above, you are more prepared to empower and engage them. Contact Wittenbach and let us know how you’ve put this guidance to good use; we’d love to hear your feedback and discuss other ways we can support your branch security and efficiency!
