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#1877433 - 12/10/13 06:27 PM Large Cash Withdrawals - Customer Conversations
wjohnson Offline
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2
PA
I am having a really hard time getting our front-line staff to have a "conversation" with customers who withdraw an unusually large amount of cash. Can anyone offer some free advice or point me towards some training that I can provide for them?
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William Johnson Jr, CBAP
Vice President
BSA-AML Compliance and Security Officer
OFAC Compliance Administrator

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#1877468 - 12/10/13 07:25 PM Re: Large Cash Withdrawals - Customer Conversations wjohnson
WonderWoman Offline
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WonderWoman
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,108
gone fishin'
If you're not a strong sales-type bank, it is hard to convince the employees to open up since they don't understand open ended questions ...

I try to get them to do soft conversations only. "Did you just buy a car?" "Are you working on your house? Do you have anyone you could recommend to me?"

I never force them to ask questions, otherwise I feel it will shut them down further. And anytime someone gives me a good story - I blast it out & praise them with Starbucks. It gives the other employees incentive to continue to ask. I also use the good conversation tellers to train the uncomfortable ones.
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#1877520 - 12/10/13 08:48 PM Re: Large Cash Withdrawals - Customer Conversations wjohnson
Doug Hendrickson Offline
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Doug Hendrickson
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Posts: 3,927
At our last training session, I just asked the tellers to use casual conversation tone as WonderWoman suggests, with those same questions or even just a joking 'Did you win the lottery' for large deposits. It's going to really depend on the relationship that the teller has with the customer, and some of ours have very good relationships as we have both a low teller turnover and low customer turnover.
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I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.--Confucius

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#1877882 - 12/11/13 08:49 PM Re: Large Cash Withdrawals - Customer Conversations wjohnson
wjohnson Offline
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2
PA
Thanks for the suggestions. I've already attempted this route ("small talk", soft conversations, etc). Some of the front line staff just don't seem to get it. I've even tried to "scare" them with information about penalties for BSA violations. Does anyone else have any ideas or training suggestions?
_________________________
William Johnson Jr, CBAP
Vice President
BSA-AML Compliance and Security Officer
OFAC Compliance Administrator

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#1877907 - 12/11/13 09:23 PM Re: Large Cash Withdrawals - Customer Conversations wjohnson
ACBbank Offline
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ACBbank
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,344
New York City
Tell them it's part of their job and they will be written up for non-performance.
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"100 victories in 100 battles isnt the most skillful. Subduing the other's military w/o battle is the most skillful." Sun-Tzu

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#1877931 - 12/11/13 10:06 PM Re: Large Cash Withdrawals - Customer Conversations wjohnson
WonderWoman Offline
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WonderWoman
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,108
gone fishin'
Have an auditor talk to them and ask them questions about the transactions. Might wake them up a bit. & tellers don't know the difference between an auditor and an examiner.

I've had auditors do this for me ... works pretty well. Helps them take it a little more seriously.

If that doesn't work - you're going to need support from senior management.

Also, you could try the tactic that, if they don't ask questions, that means you may have to file a SAR, if you file too many SARs, you'll make them have the "sorry customer I'm closing your account" conversation. That usually motivates branch managers/supervisors to get their tellers to pay attention.
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My opinions are my own, and not that of my employer.

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