How to Become a Bank Customer Service Rep

A bank customer service rep is truly a jack of all trades. She may work at a local bank branch as a teller, or she may work at a larger call center answering phone-in questions about bank services and products. Someone in this role must be able to be friendly, calm and supportive. She should understand the bank's products, such as credit cards and checking accounts.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• High school diploma

1. Graduate from high school with a well rounded education. A customer service representative needs to show poise, politeness and good communication skills. Speech classes as well as the banking-related areas of math and accounting are beneficial as a bank customer service rep.

2. Apply for a variety of positions in the customer service industry. Working in any type of customer service position makes you more attractive to a bank. If there are no jobs available in the banking field, gain some experience at another service position until positions open up.

3. Become familiar with the bank's policies concerning customer accounts. This may include fees, minimum balance requirements and other billing issues. Even if you do not work with accounts on a daily basis, this information will be helpful in the event you need to answer questions about them.

4. Take advantage of in-house training opportunities about the bank's products and services. To be able to answer clients' questions about the various banking products, you need to have an in depth knowledge about them.

5. Enroll in a marketing class at your local college or university. Some customer service personnel are responsible for selling the bank's products, either over the phone or in person. Learning current trends in marketing can possibly boost sales.

6. Acquire good computer skills. Online banking is a huge trend today. Customer service reps often get questions from customers about how to check accounts or fix login errors. Take a computer class if your on-the-job computer training is not sufficient to help you become computer proficient.

Tips & Warnings

• The minimum education required for a bank customer service rep is a high school diploma in most cases. Some jobs are starting to require more education such as an Associate or Bachelor's degree. Become more employable by taking college courses in economics or business if you intend to stay in the banking field.
• If your customer service position entails answering phones at a bank's call center, be sure to employ good telephone habits. Do not chew gum or eat while on the phone. Speak at a steady pace, reasonable volume and enunciate clearly.

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