Job Summary

To be a point of face-to-face customer contact within the Banking Hall and responsible for end-to-end customer sales and service activities with specialist requirements.

Job Description

Main accountabilities and approximate time split

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

• Opening Current a variety of specialist products depending on role holder’s specialism.

• Complete follow-up paperwork and undertake administration activities to ensure effective, efficient, and compliant operation of the branch.

• Liaison with the Personal Lending/Credit Scoring Team

• Maintain statistics and monitor progress of target reporting
• Work closely with the Corporate Banking Relationship Managers / Customer Advisors / other specialists on negotiating deals with potential customers.
• Develop, ensure implementation and review methods of improving  operational efficiency / products within specialism.

SERVICE MANAGEMENT

• Building relationships with existing customers in order to pro-actively anticipate and address future customer needs and identify sales opportunities.
• Undertake customer servicing initiatives/requirements for face-to-face customers to pre-determined service standards
• Provide guidance and support on operational matters to specialist customers within own portfolio.
• Be the first point of contact /escalation/resolution for customer issues
• Monitor and influence achievement of agreed service standards with Operations & IT, Retail Credit Risk and Corporate
• Closely liaise Corporate Relationship Manager’s to ensure proper preparation of tender documents to new clients, agree terms and conditions of scheme loans etc.
• Monitor systems and operational standards to ensure high quality service levels.
• Conduct customer care visit with Corporate Relationship manager’s to better understand customer’s needs after generation of sales leads by Corporate Relationship Managers
• Analyze customer issues, queries, complaints to determine root cause and deliver tactical and strategic improvements to service

• Gather customer opinions on service and service quality levels business

Risk and Controls Objectives

Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with regulatory requirements, Absa Operational Risk Framework and internal Absa Policies and Standards

Manage risk and control effectively by applying applicable risk frameworks and embedding a positive risk culture

• Understanding of own role in the end-to-end processes in which you play a part, including applicable risks and controls.
• Adhere to Absa’s policies and procedures applicable to own role, demonstrating sound judgement and responsible risk management.
• Report all risk events / incidents / issues using the defined process for your business area and help to understand why these happened and how to prevent them in future. Proactively look for ways to improve the control environment by considering what could go wrong in the processes you operate and how errors could be prevented.
• Continuous and proactive engagement with regulatory bodies, unions where applicable

• All mandatory training completed to deadline

Be seen/heard doing/being…………

In an Operations context:

• Maintaining a current understanding of customer needs, emerging trends, sales and servicing best practice, etc., sharing it with colleagues and applying it to day-to-day operations.
• Supporting, and where appropriate leading, effective client meetings; understanding and owning the customer’s goals, promoting the full range of Absa products, and continuously developing long-term loyalty to the brand.
• Planning and effectively managing their schedules and time to invest in high value activities, building in buffer zones to cover ad-hoc activities.

In a People context.

• Actively seeking feedback on their own performance from others and taking action to develop and improve their own capabilities.
• Actively contributing to the development of a “team culture” across the Branch, including the Specialist sales teams.
• Being responsive to colleague queries and requests for support.

Have the following impact on………….

Customers:

• Experience a consistently high standard of well-integrated customer service across all Network and Specialist propositions.
• Feel important, appreciated and that their needs are understood.
• Feel confident that Absa can make and save their money.
• Will readily sign up to appropriate, additional Absa’ products and services when offered and will recommend others to Absa based on their experience.

Colleagues:

• Collaborate with him/her routinely and naturally and treat them as a valued member of the Branch team.
• Demonstrate confidence in the role holder as a colleague.

The Business:

See a motivated, high performing Branch team, working as one with their branch and operations colleagues, to achieve, and often beat, their plans and goals.

Technical skills / Competencies

Skills & Competencies

What does the role holder need to be able to do/be good at doing?

• Keyboard skills to operate relevant Customer Systems
• Basic numeracy for maintaining sales records
• Tact and diplomacy
• Empathy
• Communication skills particularly oral
• Presentation skills
• Networking
• Commercial Awareness
•  Building Relationships quickly
• Effective interpersonal skills (effective questioning and active listening)
• Service Excellence
• Personal Drive
• Ability to plan and organize

Knowledge, Expertise and Experience

Experience

What does the role holder need to have done before?

• Operated in a customer facing role where service is paramount

• Experience in a sales environment

• Has experienced a target driven role

Knowledge

What does the role holder need to know/know about and/or be qualified in?

• Awareness of Absa Africa Retail strategy
• Understanding of the Retail , Service Delivery and Corporate proposition and services
• Understanding of support systems e.g. BRAINS, WinFos,  etc.
• Knowledge of the Bank’s bookkeeping procedures and systems.
• General knowledge of services and functions of Head Office and branches network.
• Detailed understanding of the bank’s Performance Management model
• Understanding of the local competitor market
• Thorough knowledge an understanding of the Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines and practice

Skills & Competencies

What does the role holder need to be able to do/be good at doing?

• Commercial Awareness

• Building Relationships quickly

• Effective interpersonal skills (effective questioning and active listening)

• Service Excellence

• Personal Drive

• Ability to plan and organize

• Adaptable to change

Absa Values

Absa Values and Behaviors represent the set of standards which governs the actions of all of us who work for the bank and against which the performance of every one of us in Absa are being assessed and rewarded:

• Trust
• Resourceful
• Stewardship
• Inclusive
• Courage

Education

Higher Diplomas: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)