CHICAGO — BAI, provider of information and intelligence to the financial-services industry, has launched its Sales Performance System.
The professional development system, designed to help community banks and credit unions improve the performance of their frontline personnel, is a core component in the BAI Learning & Development's initiative to expand its training and compliance programs. In keeping with a holistic approach, it provides a suite of online, self-paced training tools targeted specifically for tellers, personal bankers and managers. The tools are designed to help build stronger sales skills by enabling employees to better assess customer needs and identify opportunities to meet those needs.
A major differentiator in this new approach to professional development is an emphasis on learning by doing. High-impact simulations present real-life challenges for users to apply and practice new skills. Intensive online coaching and feedback foster improvement while building confidence in frontline staff to use newly acquired behaviors in their daily work environment. Individual programs dedicated to tellers, personal bankers and managers are arranged in brief online segments. Approximately 30 minutes in length, each session is divided into three parts: a "learn by doing" scenario, tools and an assessment.
Tellers learn key sales behavior, such as meeting the customer's additional need, identifying and understanding the additional need, and making the referral to a personal banker for a value-added solution. Personal bankers enhance critical conversation skills such as listening and questioning and learn how to position value-add solutions that create exceptional value to grow revenue and strengthen relationships.
Managers learn to use a developmental coaching methodology with their staff so that tellers and personal bankers eventually can self-coach and remove their own obstacles to making referrals and cross-selling.
"With the current economic situation, there is a lot of money in motion right now," said Paul Robert, director of business development for BAI Learning & Development. "This is a great opening for financial institutions to solidify relationships and gain wallet share. The key is to maximize the service levels to both new and existing customers. To accomplish this, all levels of frontline staff must be focused on enhancing the customer experience and driving new revenue through the door."
BAI studies show that enhancing the customer experience in frontline environments directly relates to improved economic results. Consumers rate "knowledgeable and trained staff" as one of the top two criteria for choosing or maintaining a banking relationship. That same research also confirms that customer relationships are built through a series of consistently executed experiences in both routine transactions and higher-value sales-oriented interactions.
BAI partnered with Richardson, a sales-training and consulting firm, to assist with the development of the system.
