Here’s a sneak peak into the banking profession

What you need to know:

  • To move up, one needs good people skills and a network of individuals that they have established rapport with. Additionally, a banker must know understand the duties and responsibilities of everyone working for the bank.

        For one to be a successful banker, one needs to know how to generate business for the bank and motivate a staff. They must have knowledge of the banking industry and various products and services offered. Some bankers start off in entry-level teller positions, and some are hired out of college as sales associates.

To move up, one needs good people skills and a network of individuals that they have established rapport with. Additionally, a banker must know understand the duties and responsibilities of everyone working for the bank.

Emma Medda is the head of service support at Stanbic Bank; she graduated from the University of Dar es salaam in 2007 and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration. Before this position, Emma was employed by the facility as a Bank Teller in 2008.

Before graduating from the University of Dar es Salaam she did her advanced secondary education at MOA High School in Dar es Salaam after she had attained her ordinary Secondary education at Msufini High School in Moshi District, Kilimanjaro Region.

As head of Service at Stanbic Bank how does your day begin?

“I usually get in the office around 7:30a.m, half an hour before reporting time. Punctuality enables me to prepare for morning briefing meetings, which sets branch priorities for the day/week,” she says.

She says after university education she was employed by Stanbic Bank as bank teller and that was her first appointment.

“I worked as a teller for sometimes before I grew to other positions like: forex clerk and team leader, customer service and as a trainer before getting this position as head of service support, overseing branch operations,” says Emma adding that:

“It’s a challenging and risky job, which requires high level of integrity then in the end I got that sense of accomplishment.”

She mentions tasks that she is responsible for as head of service at Stanbic Bank as overseeing all branch operation issues.

Emma says she works on customer service issues, branch risk control and ensures all branch functions are carried out in accordance with laid down procedures & policies in the bank manuals, adding that providing a responsible and accurate telling service experience to customers by maintaining and applying up to the knowledge of banking policies, practices and procedures are some of her cardinal tasks.

She notes that she is also duty-bound to create a working environment, where customers can get best attention and service.

Describing a typical work week for bank head of service position, Emma notes that it starts on Monday where she sets her priorities

“I support customer service, supporting sales team also doing weekly briefing meeting over controls and I usually do daily checking of branch reports on key highlights,” she says.

She says that staffing, warehousing, accounting, operations, and sales are some of the major tasking works in her schedule which she is supposed to accomplish with highest level of integrity.

“My decision regarding staff is done through performance management through formal and informal dialogue to identify areas of improvement,” says Emma.

She explains that being good head of service is not a cup of tea. It needs commitment and diligence.

She says one needs good understanding of banking operational risks, policies together with procedures guiding the banking systems, adding that one is also supposed to have a high level of integrity and inquisitive minds. She stresses that taking things for granted can rock the boat.

Custumer service

Emma says understanding of systems, team work alongside having individuals who are committed in ensuring customer service runs smoothly are issues of utmost importance. This will also go together with providing the necessary training to each individual in the team, understanding their strengths and weaknesses and continuously striving to eliminate barriers that bring down the quality of customer service.

She notes that strategic planning and documentation entails planning for all kinds of requests, types and volumes and train the team to be always prepared for emergencies, adding that there should be a comprehensive record of all the tickets, discussions with customers on critical issues and reports such that they stay in tune to help with future issues

About being a successful bank manager Emma says one needs to have a high level of integrity because banking requires a high level of finance knowledge.

She notes that aspiring individuals should not limit their knowledge base to the banking industry as it takes a number of interrelated disciplines to accomplish the targeted goals.