The problem with traditional Teller training on a system is… it’s not about the system; it’s about the transaction! Customers, verification, money, accounts, items and incentives all factor into the training. You need to be concerned with the WHOLE training, not just the old fashioned way of present/practice/repeat just the transaction!

I can’t tell you how many Teller training programs I’ve seen where for several days they teach Tellers content, then later in the week, they’re put on a system to both learn and practice. In “real life,” however, the transaction isn’t disjointed from the customer, the process, and the items. It’s one fluid process, so why not teach it that way? Where possible, integrate the system with the appropriate pre-requisites. Once a Teller has learned about checks, identification, accounts, etc. that is the perfect opportunity to introduce that part of the system.

Try to break up the training into complete learning increments that rival Teller experience. For example, since checks and deposits are their most frequent transaction, start there and build upon it. Let them experience and practice everything from accepting identification, verifying the check, making the transaction—even cash back and sorting. After that, introduce new products or concepts such as savings, official checks, etc. and repeat the whole process.

Don’t be so hung up about teaching in a linear fashion. Tellers don’t need to have every piece of cognitive information from products to regulations before experiencing the transactions.

Finally, always conclude your training with what TRC Interactive calls A Day in the Life Of, a simulated experiential exercise that presents the Teller with a random series of customer issues and transactions just as they will experience in the branch. You’ll make it much easier for you to assess their proficiency and they’ll have improved confidence about their training.

Jay Bowden
President TRC Interactive, Inc.