Customer Contact Advisor Review

I answer first point of contact calls on a daily basis. I help customers with their everyday banking needs and requirements. Whether that be cancelling or recalling a direct debit, or making a payment for the customer to someone new. We aim to make every call a positive and memorable experience for our customers by empathizing with them and being proactive to offer them products and services that may suit their needs. We also have certain calls that we cannot take, such as mortgages & fraud, for these, we pass them through to the relevant teams.

I learn new skills and knowledge on a daily basis. I work in a field that is ever changing due to worldwide events or for new security measures. I feel so much more confident in myself when it comes to advising customers on what they should and shouldn't do with their money. I know how the innards of a bank work now, which I never really understood before. I am also better at communicating and listening than I was before I started here.

In terms of the apprenticeship, I don't really enjoy it. I have requested to leave, but am still awaiting approval from Natwest. Overall, I think it's a nice thing to have on a CV, and to those that do enjoy it, I think it's very beneficial. But for me, it was just a lot of dull information and exercises that barely felt relevent to my job. It became a chore and a hardship to carry on with it, and I was not in the right headspace to continue with it. My coach [This section of the comment has been removed by a member of the RateMyApprenticeship Team because it did not meet our site terms and conditions] has been fantastic though, and he deserves all the praise.

It's pretty well organised, there's a coach that you can always contact about any issues you may or may not have. There are frequent webinars and sessions to attend, though unfortunately, these don't often work well into my work schedule, so I am often unable to attend live, and very rarely get the chance to catch up on them. Natwest only tend to give us 2 hours every 2 to 3 weeks, which is not nearly enough time for the amount of work, watching and reading we're expected to do, and for this reason, I do believe this is why I struggled and disliked it so much. I felt like I was always behind.

From my direct team leader, I get all the help I could ask for. But from management, or whomever it is that decides how much time we get allocated into our schedule for it, none at all. I have spoken to my coach about this, and he says that RBS/Natwest are very unhelpful when it comes to this issue, and they get complaints about this very problem, all the time. Like I say, I can't fault my manager or my coach. But everyone above, I blame for the reason this experience is so painful.

I get all the support I could ask for, when I ask for it. They are very flexible when it comes to deadlines, and will always put you and your circumstances first. There's an endless amount of content for us to consume, whether that be through the webinars where we can interact with our tutors, or through the app where we can access an abundance of material that is beneficial and helpful to us throughout the course.

I don't think it does, I think it's helpful in terms of the additional information that you learn about the banking sector as a whole, but in terms of the way I perform at my role, that is all down to your own mindset and commitment to your job. I have all the information and help I need to perform well at my role without the help of the apprenticeship. But it is helpful to have for those that want to know more wide and varied information about the sector.

There are plenty of things to get involved in, such as charitable works or events. Or meetings with heads of departments to discuss issues and future endeavors. We are given paid days to go out of the workplace and contribute to a charitable cause. For example, before covid hit, we were given the opportunity to go to a local farm and paint one of the farms barns. It was a very rewarding experience that I would jump at the chance to do again.

Yes

They're a very good employer that treat their staff with care and respect. They offer plenty of step up schemes in order to progress within the company. They pay a very good and competitive rate to new starters, with yearly salary increases almost guaranteed. The people that work for the company, that I have interacted with, have been some of the nicest and most compassionate people that I have ever met. It's a fantastic company to work for.

Be truthful and honest in your interview. Don't let anything scare or worry you as there are plenty of support nets around you, whether that be your colleagues, your manager, HR or other outlets. Always have an open mind and be willing to change your practices on a daily basis. The customer is NOT always right. And I would say to them that you'll struggle to find a company as well supported and friendly as this.