Retail Banking Sales Training Solutions
Even though most consumers want their financial institution to offer tools and advice to meet their goals, many frontline bankers are not comfortable asking probing questions that might seem too “personal.”
This reticence can cause customers to turn elsewhere for savings and investment advice. Our retail banking sales training can help your branch staff overcome their fear and reticence so that they have more compelling conversations with their in-bank visitors and clients. In fact, it is essential that banks improve in this area. Since the pandemic, more than half of all banking clients are using digital tools. But this has not made in-person banking obsolete. In a recent research study, 58% surveyed say they still visit a local bank in person. Your bankers must be prepared to maximize those visits, take care of the transactional request at hand and be skilled enough to engage their client in broader discussions about retirement, college planning, home remodeling and overall savings and investment goals.
Our Process to Retail Banking Sales Training
Create Engaging Conversation in Your Branches
From the book Go-Givers Sell More, we know that “The word sell comes from the Old English word sellan, which means – to give.” Helping your branch personnel understand this concept and embrace their role as a financial resource for their customer is a first step to developing the right mindset for building relationships. Then we teach them an approach that feels natural, that is simplified into words and phrases they feel comfortable using with their clients. Retail bankers need practice using this approach – repetition is key and coaching is essential. Our CARE approach combines all of these components and helps retail bankers become more confident asking questions and having robust conversations to fully understand and help their prospects and clients improve their financial wellness.
The CARE Retail Sales Training Approach
At the very core of the CARE Retail Sales Training Approach, we help retail bankers understand these three concepts:
- Keep it simple.
- Show you care.
- Be confident and curious.
In most cases, your retail bankers have an inbound customer who has an issue or a transaction that must be taken care of. Bankers are trained and usually adept at taking care of that transaction but they typically miss the next step; relating that transaction to a broader conversation. They do not feel comfortable transitioning to the broader conversation to more fully understand their customer’s goals. Here is an example of a component of the CARE Retail Sales Training Approach that really helps retail bankers:
Transaction Trigger: “I am so glad that we were able to help you today with your CD (or equity loan or credit card). We really appreciate your business.”
Confident Positioning: “At ABC Bank, we believe that everybody has a right to have the financial security that they think or dream about. So, every time I get a chance to meet one of our clients, I want to make sure that they are on the path to a strong financial future.”
“Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions?”
The focus here is on the customer, not the bank or the products of the bank. That is an important distinction for the retail banker. The CARE approach is customized to the individual banker as well as the bank’s culture. From this initial transaction discussion, we then help retail bankers develop, practice and become comfortable with a series of questions to ask, again with a focus on more fully understanding the broader goals and financial picture of the client. To achieve this, we often have to help retail bankers address some personal beliefs about asking questions, helping them get out of their comfort zone. It does take some courage to try and engage at a deeper level but those bankers who do, really enjoy the expanded conversations and trust that they achieve with their clients. CARE works!
Create Engaging Conversations in the Branch of the Future
This skill-building workshop is laser focused on helping your retail bankers improve relationship building skills. With the CARE program, retail participants will leave with a 4-step sales process including these components:
1. Confident Positioning
2. Assessing Needs
3. Recommending Solutions
4. Expanding Relationships