Universal Banker Certification Series

Program Overview

The Universal Banker Certification Series is a four-day, comprehensive program for beginning and new community bankers that focuses on creating a customer friendly environment on a budget. This program will will focus on how we deliver the ultimate customer experience, streamlining work processes to make things fun for employees and the customer, resulting in the optimal bank of the future. The training includes group discussion and problem solving, fresh ideas through presentation, and a case-study. Attendees who complete all four parts of the program will receive a Universal Banker Certificate from the NC Bankers Association and Focused Results.

The Goals

  1. An understanding of the challenges in community banking
  2. An opportunity to learn about the best UX-user/customer experience
  3. The ability to plan for the impact of technology, artificial intelligence, and self-service on the community bank and banker
  4. The skills to be an ambassador for the bank, and build your personal network

Who Should Attend

Bankers from any department within the bank. These bankers may be new hires, beginning bankers, or bankers with years of experience. They are the emerging bankers who want to become qualified to move laterally or forward in the organization.

The Agenda

Day 1 – Culture Shifting in Community Banks
Focuses on the shift from order-taking to an engaged, advisory culture and the team issues faced when changing cultures. 

  • Why community banks fail to compete
  • Creating the advisory environment across the bank
  • Growing the community bank appropriately
  • Challenges in changing culture
  • Analyzing staff performance across the bank
  • Critical thinking – see the big picture
  • The why’s – learn the why I am doing something and the interworking of the job
  • Assignment to be completed by Day 2

Day 2 – Wowing the Customer
Addresses the needs, wants, and expectations of the new, digital, and younger customers and employees. 

  • Present each team’s Day 1 assignment findings to the class
  • Customer expectations from smart customers
  • Creating the ultimate UX (user/customer experience)
  • Data vs. data driven decision-making
  • Streamlining your work processes
  • iGen and millennial customers – trouble and opportunity ahead, must be able to manage relationships up and down with co-workers, and with customer relationships
  • Develop leadership skills and wow your employer – they will take notice
  • Team work and flexibility go both ways – employee and employer – there is no departmental – only one employer
  • Assignment to be completed before Day 3

Day 3 – Your Advisory Role
Presents opportunities for the bank and banker to engage in activities and skills to drive results across the bank for the foreseeable future.

  • Present each team’s Day 2 assignment findings to the class
  • Bank products – WIIFM (what’s in it for me?)
  • The bank of the future – technology, artificial intelligence, and self service
  • Transitioning your bank for the future
  • Team selection and team rewards
  • Social skills at events and during work time (i.e. lobby communication with customers)
  • Social and business communication/etiquette
  • Social media – what to share on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
  • Assignment to be completed before Day 4

Day 4 – An Ambassadorship & Growth
Addresses critical skills necessary to make the banker more valuable in the bank, and in the community at large.

  • Present each team’s Day 3 assignment findings to the class
  • Being an ambassador for your bank
  • Dress in public: better to overdress than under dress
  • Doing it right the first time – proof reading for accuracy
  • Building your network
  • Assessing strengths and weaknesses – yours and the bank’s
  • Community bank case study