Where’s your favourite place to rest, relax and rejuvenate? Is it the coffee shop on the corner? This month it may even become the gym as you get stuck into those New Year resolutions.
Or it may just as easily be the nearest branch of your bank.
Yes, the social space where you love to hang out could be among the tellers and cash dispensers of your financial institution of choice.
Banks have decided to become warm and fuzzy on the inside – with the newest branches bringing in signature scents, comfy chairs and coffee bars in a bid to encourage customers to drop in and hang out.
It works like this: if you want to browse the fantastic customer service vacancies on s1jobs from the comfort of a nice armchair, with free wi-fi and a skinny latte at your elbow, your bank could be the best bet.
Check out, for example, the Virgin Money Lounges in Glasgow and Edinburgh. These are like classy coffee shops, with sparkling facilities where customers can check on their accounts and even spend a penny too.
They have sofas, refreshments and heating set to just the right temperature to ensure you’re comfy while you update your CV on free internet access.
Other banks are rolling out this idea too. So if you want to win in the financial sector, pay attention – how you deliver customer service is changing fast.
It’s now about meeting the needs of the customer on many levels, both online and in person. And the personal touch in a welcoming environment, where customers have time and space to chill, is more important than ever.
You’ll be dealing with dozens of people every hour, each one an individual. They may speak a foreign language, have a couple of noisy kids in tow or be panicking about something on their bank statement.
It’s your job to treat them well, regardless of the foot-tapping queue that’s building up behind them.
In some banks a new role has been created for a concierge. This is someone who can do the meet and greet and send customers in the best direction so they don’t waste time in the wrong queue.
So, if you have patience, a sympathetic nature, a good head for figures and can deliver the line “Please take a seat in this comfy chair and help yourself to a cappuccino while I look into that for you”, you can bank on a great career in customer service.
For all the latest Customer Service vacancies visit s1jobs