Five Best Practices to Train Your Branch Employees on New Technology

A branch transformation can entail lots of moving parts, with new products and systems designed for efficiency and branch security. However, in the midst of all the change and innovation to outpace competitors and delight customers, one thing remains constant—your employees.

Some may see value in your efforts to make their operations more efficient, while others may encounter barriers to change. It is up to your financial institution to understand how your individual team members learn best, and help to remove “roadblocks” so that they can embrace new technology, making the most of your investments and keeping your branch and its assets safe during a branch transformation.

Some examples of technological change in your financial institution include:

• Installing the Kaba Mas Auditcon 2 series lock in safes and vaults. The 252 model can accommodate up to 20 individual users, and the 552 model can accommodate up to 99 users, so the scope of your operation will determine how many employees must understand the operation of this time lock.

• Using the DMP Virtual Keypad is also an example of a major shift, changing from in-person security keypads that arm and disarm alarm systems, to mobile keypads that can be operated from anywhere. Users can have different access assigned to their profiles, and it is important to train them on what they should and shouldn’t do to keep your branches secure.

• Installing Interactive Teller Machines (ITMs) with video teller technology, such as the Hyosung 8300 series. If tellers are to be working remotely, or collaborating with new colleagues who will be offsite, this is a training opportunity for your branch. They also may need training on the ITM’s cash recycling capabilities, if you are upgrading from an older ATM model. Additionally, your IT department will require training on how to maintain and troubleshoot a new ATM or ITM fleet.

• Updating emergency procedures, including installation of a DMP hold-up button. Per our recent blog post, “Hold-up buttons also have the functionality to be wirelessly connected to first responders. Once the buttons are pushed, they can notify first responders so that they may send law enforcement to your company or financial institution.” This procedure training may also include identification and prevention of false alarms.

Five ways to help your branch employees embrace new technology

• Identify the “tech champions”: During a branch transformation, lean on those in your organization who are more technically savvy to help support those who may need more time to catch up. My Tech Decisions says, “Particularly for larger organizations, it can be nearly impossible to get every employee together for formal training sessions. It can also eat up a lot of time and resources. Often a more effective way to execute a training program is to identify ‘key personnel’ in your corporation, including the IT staff of course, and have them go through training on new equipment.”

• Share the “why” and “how”: Transparency into the new products or processes is critical to successful adoption. Providing clarity as to why the change is happening will help to collect your branch employees’ buy-in. Forbes advises via Keri Higgins Bigelow, “Gather employee input early and often in any major technology change. They will readily adapt to the change when they see why the current platforms aren’t serving the needs of the business. Communicate the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ as much as possible to gain accelerated adoption.”

• Respect realistic deadlines: As you approach the time to roll out your upgraded products or platforms, reserve plenty of time for branch employees to train and ask questions. Their schedules are ideally already full with supporting customers. You can introduce new concepts in staff meetings, or set aside dedicated time to test and learn the new technology, so that their day-to-day responsibilities are not impeded. EdgePoint Learning adds, “A big part of overcoming change friction and employee pushback is letting them see what’s coming and then giving them time and space to process the change. Does this mean a rollout of new technology will take longer? Maybe. But it also means that employees will be more willing to come along for the ride because they feel supported in the transition.”

• Keep it in context: It is a best practice to keep training information specific to your employees’ roles. Providing context as part of the greater whole of your branch is useful, but over-informing them of new technology can be overwhelming and decrease retention of the details that are critical to their own job performance. For example, your team may need to understand where Network Video Recorder (NVR) systems’ security cameras exist in your branch, but only the IT department needs to know how to access the surveillance data that the NVR system transmits to the cloud.

• Provide self-service information: Reference guides, “one-pagers” with critical information, and training videos are examples of self-service materials that can help your employees learn new functions and technology. These aids are especially useful for visual learners, and continue to provide value as they can be distributed among multiple employees, and reviewed again and again as refresher material.

Conclusion

As your branch evolves with the times, training your employees thoroughly—and topping up that knowledge often—empowers them to pass that confidence along to your customers. If you are just starting on your branch transformation journey, or are seeking guidance on how to more seamlessly connect your employees with your existing technology, contact Wittenbach to help light your way!