services-7-3-19.pngThe success of a bank’s merchant services program lives or dies by the support from branch staff.

While offering competitive rates and top-notch customer service is important, those things won’t make a difference if bank branch staff isn’t discussing merchant services with customers. Programs suffer without the support and enthusiasm of staff. Here are some best practices on keeping branch staff engaged in merchant services promotion.

Set Goals
A bank should employ a top-down directive from leadership that emphasizes the importance of cross-selling merchant services during customer interactions. It is imperative that the directive includes clear, attainable goals for branches and employees. “Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement,” writes development consultant and author Brian Tracy.

Goals help motivate branch staff to sell these services. Leadership also needs to track performance and offer recognition. If staff gets the impression that set goals are not followed up on, it can be incredibly demoralizing.

Empower Your Sales Staff
Employees may hesitate to sell products they have not been fully educated on. But the growing popularity of online banking means it’s important that branch staff capitalizes on every opportunity to cross-sell. It may be the only chance they have to speak face-to-face with a prospect.

Executives need to make sure that bank staff is trained up on all products and services. They can do this through role-playing exercises of different situations that focus on improving communication skills and preparing for curveball questions. This is one of the best ways to prime employees for productive conversations with prospects.

Implement an Incentive Campaign
Managers should encourage staff to stretch for sales goals through an incentive campaign. These campaigns can include referral bonuses, sold-product goals, raffle campaigns and more. Some merchant services providers may sponsor incentive campaigns for their partner banks. Additionally, incentive campaigns aren’t limited to employees; banks should consider incentivizing existing clients through referrals.

Provide Ongoing Training
Payment card technology is constantly changing. Executives need to provide branch staff with tools that will help them stay up-to-date on current trends and industry changes. One way to do this is through a portal that is regularly updated with new resources and information. It is vital that executives cultivate an environment where branch staff feels comfortable asking for additional training or information.

The success of a merchant services program rests on the shoulders of a bank’s branch staff. Executives must make sure they equip their front-line people with all the tools and knowledge they need. The investment of time and resources up front will pay dividends in the future. Every win for branch staff is a win for the bank.

WRITTEN BY

Rick Hannon