Tellers: the great untapped sales force

Tellers should be used as salespersons. They are in the best and most immediate position to have direct contact with customers. Sales training and coaching are essential to this effort. Training can be conducted four or five days per year. Tellers should have clear quotas and standards set for them and be monitored by the head teller. Performance should be rewarded on the basis of those standards. Tellers can keep track of their performance by writing down and submitting referral slips, indicating a potential sale. The head teller should be given monthly performance goals by bank management and receive back a sales performance results report. Supervisors should give tellers positive reinforcement and reward high achievement.