Senior Customer Advisor Review

My day to day role as a "Needs Met" customer advisor invloves completing applications for credit cards and overdrafts for customers looking for these facilities. I have to interact with other departments such as our underwriters on a daily occourance for referals and I interact with existing and new customers in every call. I am responsible for ensuring data is collected and used in a responsible way and with this, pass on decisions the bank makes with applications.

I have just picked up the overdraft skill. Coming from a credit card background it has been a challenge dealing with a different type of customer when it comes to banking customers. Through completing unit two of the the apprenticeship and various courses within our internal interactive training program, I have gained this new skill and are gradually implementing this into my day to day role. I am now on unit 3 of the apprenticeship program for providing financial services in a customer service environment and the learning from this is being directly implemented into my current role.

I enjoy alot about this program as not only does it teach you how to do things, it teaches you why we do the particular things we do. I work in a team of 8 (plus my line manager) and as we all take the same call types, we support and bounce suggestions on how to handle situations off of each other with the goal of gaining the right outcome for teh customer and the bank. As the banks main ethos is to be the best bank for customers, this really does enforce a positive atmosphere and help learning within my role and therefore add to the overall enjoyment.

Lloyds Banking Group are very focued on making their staff feel valued. One of their key promises is around working better together. I complete monthly 1-2-1s with my manager where we talk about my current perfomance within the business and tend to focus on what I am doing well as well as any improvements that I could benefit from. I have also been picked up as colleague of the month at leats twice within the last year. This helps with daily motivations.

The program has been very well organised, starting with an initial introductory meeting I completed back in December 2017. This gave us information on what uits to expect, where to find information on how to complete, the fact the course was underwriten by Belfast Met (along with how to contact them) and what qualification I would gain at teh end of the course. I feel supported by both my assessor and my manager and the Programme has a very organised timeframe attached.

I have a monthly meeting with my Learn Direct Assessor and they provide me with valuable feedback and guidance around the work moduels along with how these can support personal development. Whenever I have had an issue or a question, they have been there to support through emails, texts and telephone calls. Their attitude is always prostive and upbeat and this adds a pleasent tone and feeling to prceedings and really compliments the feeling of support.

As well as the monthly meetings I have with my Assessor, I also have my monthly one 2 one meeting that I use to catch up with my manager. Any support or help on modules is provided at this point and my manager always makes the point of going to find out the answer to a question if he doesnt know it at that time. This is rewarding and refreshing. In terms of how my employer supports me in a more general term, I am granted 6 hours of personal work time a month.

Lloyds Banking Group offer a very rewarding package to all of their employees through a progressive pay scale (Yearly bonuses and pay rises based on performance) along with other payslip benefits such as life insurence and private medical cover. I utilise these as I need these products anyway. My work is located a 15 min drive away and as I have a car parking space, this suits me very well.

Due to the nature of my work, we cannot carry any information outside of work and cannot service customer accounts outside the confine of our call centres. I have been on voluntary work for Lloyds Banking Group on my "Day to make a difference" where I went out and helped a rehab centre paint its garden fence and picked up rubbish.

Yes

Yes. I have always felt valued and looked after by Lloyds and their rewards package and incentives more than meet my needs. They ancourage my personal growth and development and are keen to encourage me to be teh best I can be.

Focus on supporting each other and your customers. This helps make teh bank better for everyone.