I work for a bank with approximately 30 branches. We train our Customer Service Reps and Tellers in instructor-led classes with hands-on exercises. The classes are two weeks long. Many of our employees say that other banks "don't do it like that." Some say its too long and others say its the best they've ever had.

How does your bank train these employees? Do you make a distinction between new employees who have work at the same job at other banks or do you treat all new employees the same (for these functions).

Thanks.

I worked a job (non-banking) that required a 9 week training period, then went to another that required 4 weeks. When I came to this bank, I was shocked to see only OJT. Since then, we have adopted a training period of about 1 week and that has helped. 2 weeks, in my opinion, is ideal. There's a lot of responsiblity on these reps' shoulders, and we should arm them with as much knowledge as we can.

I am still in the beginning phases of setting up my training - (almost 2 years into the job).

New account training is currently a 4 day class - and we cover Customer Service, Selling in a bank, Compliance/Regulatory, Deposit Documentation, policy/procedure, and then hopping on the computer and opening test accounts. I have received mostly favorable feedback from this format.

We do a very similar program for tellers, as well.

In addition we have access to an on-line training library and on the employees first day, I assign a series of courses for them to take and pass the accompanying test with a minimum score.

This must all be accomplished within their first 90 days in order for them to remove their probationary status, assuming they do alright in other areas, punctuality, balancing, etc.

2 weeks does seem like a lot, but until I have an idea what you do in those 2 weeks, I'll reserve judgements.

Just to compare - we are an 18 office bank - with 350 employees - $650mm in assets.

Downside to all of this - I'm the only training officer at this time - although I do love the opportuinity to meet all of the new hires!!!

We have over 30 branches. We train CSRs and tellers for 2 weeks each. Same training required for all employees whether they have experience or not. Both trainings are very thorough and cover many topics.

We also train both tellers & bankers for 2 weeks each. It seems to be more effective as classroom training than on-the-job training was in the past.

Your posts have been very helpful. (We have 30 branches with over $1 billion in assets - with approximately 75 CSRs and back up CSRs and almost 200 tellers - with a few branch managers who are trained to open accounts)

For CSRs, our employees learn how to CIP customers, open and title most types of accounts (from personal to public fund accounts - from DDA to IRAs) how to maintenance accounts, and all of the products. We have a training data base so they can have hands-on experience in the classroom.

The Tellers have even more hands-on experience with made-up transactions and play money (they do learn how to balance!) but they are also taught security, reg cc, products and the like.

Our main problem has been when experienced tellers and csrs have been hired from other banks, and their branches think that they don't need 2 weeks - because the employee should already know it all! It's been very hard to convince the branches that if a employee messes up - its hard to hold them accountable if we (the bank) didn't teach it to them.

Sounds like your program is right on. Two weeks is not too much training. The competency set for a Teller is larger than any job in any industry (this told to me by a consultant who develops competency sets. Additionally, experienced tellers may not have been trained "right" at their previous employer. You might consider allowing them to test out of certain courses.

Several years (and several banks) of fine-tuning the most effective program led me to the following program:

Tellers and CSRs both receive approximately 7 days of training. The training is broken into full and half day courses, offered three days during each week. The other days, the new-hire spends with an OJT trainer in the branch. Breaking it up into pieces, rather than a full week or two in the classroom helps them apply what they have learned and reduces that "overwhelmed" feeling.

We save sales training until they have been on the job 90 days. We found that prior to that, they are too focused on what they consider the "important" stuff. We found sales training was not effective until they are comfortable on the system, etc.

At this point in time, we do not have designated On the Job Trainers. Do you train them specifically to do OJT? And do they "release" the new employee from OJT?

We're a small bank (less than 10 branches) and our tellers and CSR's generally have a week of training. It's usually classroom stuff in the morning, and "shadowing" with an experienced teller in the afternoons. In my humble opinion I think they could stand do do a bit more. Our CSR's are usually trained by either the person who is leaving, or another person who does "new accts". I think they could stand to be a bit more comprehensive, but I may be biased since I spend half my day correcting their errors
I actually came to banking after teaching for 7 years... So, I would love to end up a trainer!

our training program is 4 weeks for tellers ( 2 weeks in the classroom and 2 weeks with another teller in a branch for real life practice) i think this is great for someone who many have never handled money before, or is completely new to banking, but is a bit much for a seasoned teller. For CSR it's about 3 weeks (a few days in the classroom, then the rest with another CSR) this is great as it really allows them to understand first hand what they need to do. we're a 15 branch bank with 1 bill + in assets

We have a two week teller training class before tellers are put into the branches. We also have a certification program for tellers, and are planning a similar program for CSR's.

Here's an example of what we cover in our Teller training. This list is not complete, of course, but may indicate why it takes ten days: Introductions,training schedule, training expectations, how to complete timecard during training, professional dress guidelines, how to answer phones/etiquette, customer service standards - interpersonal vs technical skills, retail branch organization and structure, intro to security and the all clear signal, dual control, what a teller station is and how it's set up and the name of each piece of equipment, drawer limits and counting cash,types of money including mutilated/unfit, intro to the PC for a teller - how to sign on and off. Confidentiality/privacy policy, account ownerships and products offered, the Federal Reserve and Regulations, CIP and KYC, checks-types of acceptable/unacceptable identification and endorsements, further PC teller training, searching for a customer's name/account info, general account inquiries, what is a debit and credit, buying and selling cash, making deposits, funds availability, BSA/CTRs/Monetary instr, night depository, check cashing, stop payments, savings withdrawals,processing cashed checks, transfers, loan payments, credit card payments, safe deposit payments, TT&L payments, Balancing, Teller difference policy, how to locate a difference, Signing Off for the day. Negotiable instruments, cashier's cks,money orders, traveler's cks, savings bonds,GL accts (only those of teller interest), cash advances, reading the teller tapes/journals/receipts, what to do when offline, Security and Fraud, short overview of FDIC insurance, accessing email, accessing forms and intranet sites,who to call for assistance.
Includes short tests along the way. The teller is sent to their branch with a checklist of things that they must observe, and remark on. Next day they return to class and share observations and get questions answered. The last day they are tested. If the test is passed, they are sent to their branch to begin work. There is also a follow-up progress review done by the trainer observing the trainee at a branch visit - after 30 days.

MT - your Teller School sounds very similar to us (I almost could have written your post) and our Tellers also have quizzes and a final exam as well as a skills test.

Do you get any resistance to the longer schools from your branches? And do branches have the option of next sending staff?

And I didn't even list what we train the CSRs! I can later, if you want.

Nope - no resistance from the branches. On occasion, if we didn't have teller school on the schedule (such as when we acquired another bank) the teller got OTJ training - the branches really don't like doing it.
"next sending staff" - what do you mean?

If I could edit my own writing - I'd be rich - "not sending staff" is what I meant.

Do they have a choice of not sending staff to the training? No, it is required (if they wanna job )

However, I will say that it is different with CSR classes. There are 10 training days, and certain days are not required for certain employees, but everyone - including Branch Specs, Asst Mgrs and Mgrs must attend certain required classes (ie product knowledge, successful sales techniques, etc).

So MT, you have self-contained courses within your CSR school? Our class builds upon the previous day and our product training coincides with days they are learning to open a particular type of accounts. For example, we talk about business products on the 1st Thursday when they learn how to create a business portfolio, what identification documents they need for a business, how to title and open the accounts and maintenance specifically for business accounts.

Do your CSRs do their own account opening and account maintenance? Our's does most of it, with only a few things done in the back room.

This is veerryy basic but, for example, each day is different:

Introduction/CSR Responsibilities/Customer Service ;
Product Knowledge ;
Disclosures/Regs/intro to Opening procedures ;
Opening procedures con't /Certificates ;
PC/ New acct System - how to enter a new acct ;
CIP/KYC/ID/Acct Ownerships/FDIC insurance ;
Security/Maintenance ;
IRAs/Intro to Sales ;
Intro to Cash Mgmt/intro to Safe deposit ;
Review and Testing

Each day is broken down into AM and PM classes (before and after lunch) so there are different modules that employees may be required to attend.

We also have separate more in-depth trainings for Consumer Lending, Retirement plans, Cash Mgmt/acct analysis, safe deposit, plus multi-day sales training.

We have a week long class for tellers once a month and a week long class for CSRs quarterly. Most of our CSRs are are cross-trainined for teller so they attend teller first and then CSR. In my "previous life" we held teller twice a month- however- that did not allow our teller trainer to participate in any other projects and training other classes as they were either prepping for class or training. One thing we did do was send a new teller after class for a week in a branch other than thier assigned one. This allowed them to get comfortable and if mistakes were made they were not getting jusged by their home branch before they were comfortable. We had a Teller mentor in each branch that work with the new teller during the training branch week.

One week workbook & tests...One week on Teller System...one week OJT....

I have a question. Does your bank have any continued training for Head/Vault Tellers?

At my bank we have one person train all of our tellers. This person goes to each branch and trains the new ones. This person also shadows them until our trainer feels they are ready. There is also a check sheet the teller must complete. Plus the tellers do compliance testing online after studying for the test. We are a billion dollar bank with 10 branches through 3 states. This person also holds an 8 hour class to go over compliance issues and other teller issues. This has allowed all teller training to be uniformed throughout our branches.

I have been working in the Training & development field for approx. 10 for multiple banks. Most have had New Hire instructor led training classes for Tellers and CSRs. 2 weeks seems to be standard for tellers and anywhere from 3 - 5 weeks for CSR. All new employees regardless of experience levels are treated the same.