Bank Sales Manager

Bank Senior Manager (Bad and Good)

2011-11-14T09:25:00.001+08:00

There are some bank managers who abuse their positions by either illegally using the bank's money as capital for personal investments and gains or get their female subordinates to submit to their flirtitious advances.

These are in the minority but once one meets one of these managers, life could be very lousy.

However, the majority are hardworking, down-to-earth people who want to earn a decent living and go back to their families at the end of each working day.

Bank Or Other Job Advertisements

2011-03-27T11:33:00.000+08:00

In some countries, job ads placed by agents are really just to attract job applicants to send their CVs or resumes over. Why do the agents want to collect and accumulate the CVs and resumes? This, I do not know.

There are no jobs available at all.

One may notice the 'very attractive' pay or other benefits that are published in the job ads. Well, you know what, when something is too good to be true, chances are, it really is not true.

RM In Australian Bank

2010-12-01T20:33:00.000+08:00

I would be glad to be a RM at an Australian Bank.

According to sources, they are paid on average a base salary of at least $60-80k per year, depending on experience. Some even earn more, around the region of $100k base. This is before taking into account commissions and bonuses for good performers. And I am not referring to private bankers.

However, tax is high over here, and the more one earns, the more tax one pays. But overall, the pay is still much better than most asian countries' bank RMs.

RM in Australia

2010-10-30T06:09:00.000+08:00

Here in Australia, the RMs work hard to secure consumer banking and commercial banking deals with both local Australian as well as Chinese located in Australia.

There are so many business opportunities here these days.

Multi-Lingual Bank Sales Managers

2010-09-13T14:42:00.000+08:00

These days, if one is able to speak at least 2 languages fluently, then there is a high chance that this person will land himself/herself a job with a bank as a RM or any other Sales-Related Position.

Not only in Singapore are these multi-lingual staff sought after, they are also considered assets to banks in countries such as Australia, USA and even parts of Europe.

Walk-In Interviews

2010-08-07T15:55:00.000+08:00

A Local Bank in Singapore recently advertised for Walk-In Interviews for Positions like RMs, Business Development Managers, Sales Team Leaders etc.

Looks like the economy is heating up once again after the 2008 financial crises.

Bank Jobs

2010-07-18T21:16:00.000+08:00

Banks in Singapore are starting to recruit staff on a rather regular basis over the past few weeks.

A glance thru the weekend recruitment sections of the local newspapers, and you could find job vacancies in many bank departments, especially the sales departments.

Positions such as Relationship Manager, Business Development Manager, Business Financial Manager etc are appearing more and more often in the job vacancy sections of newspapers and perhaps the internet.

World Cup

2010-07-04T21:16:00.002+08:00

Some bank staff look weary and tired because of the World Cup.

They would stay up late to watch the matches and some report for work late too.

Some supervisors and team leaders are no exception.

Bank Sales Staff

2010-06-17T15:29:00.000+08:00

Most bank sales staff are just like any other sales staff, they have a target to achieve.

They would try their very best to hit that sales target of theirs and would go all out, working hard. Nothing wrong with that. It is good to work hard and achieve one's sales target through upright methods.

However, there are quite a number of these banks sales staff who ''play dirty''. They use all sorts of tactics to ''trick'' customers into signing up for packages. This is what is termed as ''mis-selling'' in banking language.

Why Do So Many ''Bank'' Telemarketers Call?

2010-06-03T18:04:00.000+08:00

Ever wondered why you receive so many calls on your mobile phone from ''banks'' asking you to sign up for credit cards, balance transfers, insurance packages etc?

Well, most of the time, these telemarketers who call you aren't even from the banks, they are calling from a third party organisation that has been appointed as a marketing arm for the banks. So all they do is call call and call existing bank customers.

Bank Special Promotions

2010-05-23T21:54:00.000+08:00

On and off, banks will offer special fixed/term deposit interest rates and other goodies.

The main questions to ask the bank officer serving you are:
- will the interest rates hold steady throughout the term of the deposit (eg 12 mths or 24 mths etc)?
- where does it say in the T&Cs that it will hold steady, assuming the answer to the first question from the bank officer is ''yes''.
- if there is a banking crisis or a run on the bank, how much of the deposit sum (how many %) is guaranteed?
- is the deposit linked to any unit trust or other investments that come with risk elements?
- what is the bank officer's name and verify with his/her name tag.

Britain's New PM

2010-05-19T19:52:00.002+08:00

Britain has a new PM, please read here.

Bailout for Greece

2010-05-06T18:55:00.000+08:00

The EU and IMF are assisting Greece with a bailout of its debts.

Greece is facing a tough economic situation and both Germany and France are expected to lead the way in the bailout.

Prices of COE

2010-04-10T11:30:00.002+08:00

The prices of COE for new cars are at an all time high. Cost of living is again high.

Have a read here.

Economic Recovery

2010-03-26T11:46:00.002+08:00

The economy seems like it is heating up again. What with much higher COE prices, housing prices, rental prices (retail and residential), it looks like the economy is heading north again.

Good news for jobs, but may not be that good a news for business owners who are functioning in areas where the demand for their goods/services has not increased in line with the increase in business costs (rental, utilities etc).

Bank Sales Job

2010-03-06T15:37:00.002+08:00

This is a challenging (alot of stress) position that when done well, reap rewards that are more than what other jobs could offer.

Bank Relationship Manager (RM)

2010-01-24T18:15:00.003+08:00

Whether or not you are looking for a job as a Bank RM, or are already in it, you will know that it is a very challenging role which requires the person to be smart, resourceful, eloquent, articulate, likeable, knowledgeable and determined.

It is a rewarding role if one can break through the obstacles infront of him/her.

There are banks in almost every part of the world, so if one does it well enough, money will be more than enough as banks are in the business of money in the first place.

Bank Sales Staff - Job Hop

2010-01-06T22:33:00.002+08:00

There are a number of bank sales managers who move onto other banks, supposedly ''greener pastures''.
Well, some do move onto better grounds, but others just get into deeper waters that could sink them.

Bank Sales Manager

2009-12-28T22:31:00.002+08:00

To be successful here, one has to play politics just like anywhere else. Some thought that working in a sales environment would be more objective, but definitely not so.

Even a person with poor sales nos and bad attendance and frequently comes in late for work, can survive working in a sales environment so long as the person knows how to play the game with the bosses.

These bosses are also real lousy bosses who do not know how to treasure the real workers.

Bank Job - The Brighter Side

2009-12-03T15:56:00.002+08:00

Well, besides all the doom and gloom, there is also a slightly better side. There are perks for high performing individuals but they are in the minority.
Some good and cunning salespeople can make up to $10,000 a month. But they have to play their game very well and know how to 'pretend' alot.
And of course, work real hard too.

Banking & Finance Students - Ugly Side of Banking Continued

2009-11-28T22:40:00.003+08:00

There is another type of lousy manager who, for the sake of cutting costs to increase his/her own bonus, will have no qualms about pressuring you to quit.

He/she will identify those who do not suck up to him/her and make life difficult for them before pushing them to their limits and eventually getting them out of the organisation.

Banking & Finance Students - Part 3 The Ugly Side of Banking

2009-11-18T11:23:00.000+08:00

There are also times when new fresh graduates have to face bosses who do not walk the talk, these bosses do not practise what they preach.
They insist that everybody be punctual and hardworking and stick to lunch hours, but they themselves break the rules and do hanky panky stuff behind the scenes.
They may say they are at meetings at other office locations but in reality, they are just out doing things that they want to do besides work.
Poor workers in the office are the ones doing the dirty job.
Of course, there are nice bosses who walk the talk but they are in the minority.

For Banking & Finance Students - Part 2 Ugly Side Of Banking

2009-11-14T10:36:00.000+08:00

There will also be bosses who give work or projects to these new banking executives or officers and do not give proper instructions as to what it is that is required for the project. Most times, these bosses are clueless about what the project is all about so they cannot give proper guidance. They appear to know alot but in reality, they know next to nothing.
Most of these bosses climb the corporate ladder by playing politics and mingling with the powerful people. They are not in the position because of pure hard work. So that's the reason why they are actually imcompetent and can offer little or no guidance to a new fresh graduate bank officer.

Banking & Finance Students - Part I (The Ugly Side)

2009-11-01T12:29:00.000+08:00

There will be bosses who prey on sweet young things (SYT). These male bosses cannot control their male urges and will want to get close to those new young fresh female graduates.
They will find ways to give personal coaching to these girls, find excuses to 'test' their knowledge of bank products, put them in different scenarios to 'test' their effectiveness in dealing with various situations, and a whole lot more other silly excuses.

Banking & Finance Students

2009-10-29T22:32:00.001+08:00

For banking and finance students seeking a career in banking, please note that it is not going to be smooth-sailing, there will be ups and downs and if you are an ambitious person, you will have to struggle, play politics, curry-favour and know who your friends and enemies are.
Sounds complicated, well, let's just put it this way, it is not going to be as straight-forward as school days, where all one needs to do is study, solve the problems from the textbooks, get some tips from lecturers before exams and mix with the correct bunch of classmates who look out for one another.
I will elaborate more in my next posting. Thanks.

Seems Rosier Than It Is

2009-10-10T13:19:00.000+08:00

Take a look at some banks' recruitment ads and one will notice lots of perks being mentioned. However, there are some who say that it is done to lure people into working for them and after most have gone into the jobs and experienced it, they will eventually leave because it is not as rosy as it seems.
Then the ads come onto the media again, and once again, new fresh people are recruited and the cycle repeats itself over and over again.
This is the sad state of affairs nowadays. Compare the situation to 20 or 30 years ago when baby boomers worked for a company for their entire working lives. Back then, companies were not as cost conscious as they are now. Benefits were better.

Cunning Sales Management

2009-09-27T21:44:00.000+08:00

When sales targets are set and agreed upon by senior management and the sales staff, it should remain as what has been agreed.
The problem is when someone or a number of sales people achieve a high level above their sales targets, most senior management will immediately change the target requirements or criteria.
They do this with the intention of always placing the carrot a little further away from the reach of the poor RMs. All with the intention of making the sales people work even harder while they enjoy the benefits of a good-looking profit & loss statement, with revenues high and expenses kept to a minimum.
Big bonuses and promotional prospects are bright when they play the right game.

Working Hours of Bank Sales Staff

2009-09-26T17:55:00.000+08:00

When times are hard, bankers have to work really long hours. Some work from as early as the morning till about midnight. There are some who even go the distance during rush periods (ie end of sales quarter or sales month) and work till 2am. There is just so much work and so little time, bankers have to stay back late to finish their paperwork before they can hand their cases, with all the supporting documents and reports, to the relevant departments for assessment.
Besides hunting for customers, bankers have to attend certain departmental meetings, make appointments to meet customers, persuade them to sign up, gather all necessary documents, prepare all the paperwork which includes keying all financial figures into the relevant computer system, writing reports, and then submitting full documents by the deadline.
All of the above has to be juggled not just for one customer but for a number of customers each month, not forgetting the other servicing issues and matters that pop up along the way from existing customers.
When times are bad and sales down, bank sales people face tremendous pressure and some respond by putting in more effort while others choose to give up.

Commercial Banking

2009-09-20T23:00:00.000+08:00

This department can usually be found located above a branch. Products/services include Trade Services (LC/TR, Inv Fin, Import Fin, Export Fin, Factoring, BGs, Shipping Guarantees), Commercial Mortgages, Business Term Loans, Overdraft Facilities, Normal Business Current Accounts, Interest Earning Current Accounts, Commercial Credit Cards etc.
Basically, anything that businesses need to function and grow effectively in our competitive Local, Asian and Global markets.

Retaining Talents

2009-09-20T19:05:00.000+08:00

Some banks know how to retain talent within their organisation, while others do not. Some cool, knowledgeable bank sales staff leave the bank not purely because they are heading for greener pastures but rather because they are fed up with the current situation that they are in.
Some senior management people are really too much, placing profits ahead of anything else. Some of these management people are selfish and only think of themselves.
On the other hand, there are also good management people who strike a balance between profits and staff welfare, but these are in the minority.

Roller-Coaster Feelings

2009-09-18T10:25:00.000+08:00

Working in banking sales usually makes a person feel the highs and the lows. When times are good and sales abundant, bank sales staff will be in good mood, while the opposite applies when times are bad and sales down.
This is the price that has to be paid. There are good points and bad points in whichever job or career one seeks.
The ups with this job or career is:
- getting to meet different people
- getting to know about various types of business
- may get a chance to job hop into sectors where customers pull us over to
- occasionally get a chance to relax when out to meet/visit customers either for new sales or servicing issues
- get to learn about banking services and may have a chance to hop to another bank
- once in awhile earn large chunks of commission
- get to understand the way people function, it is very predictable, the way people function in this world, all ruled by power, money and benefit.

Women Friendly Bank Sales Management

2009-09-06T14:27:00.000+08:00

There are some management staff who are so partial towards the female gender that they can tone down their voices when they speak to the female staff and give in to their unreasonable requests most, if not all, of the time, not knowing that this would damage morale among the male staff and especially the performing male staff.
The pretty female staff can get by by coming in late, going off early, making mistakes, mis-selling to customers, not hitting their sales targets, lazing around on their jobs, all because of a weak manager who so easily succumbs to eye-candy.
This type of manager is totally lousy and useless, even if he is smart at his work, he is not fit to be a management staff, he should be a normal staff who is not managing a team of people.
The same applies to women in management who are biased towards cute-looking male staff.

Learning Bank Products

2009-09-04T22:45:00.000+08:00

For Commercial Bankers, having to deal with multi-products is a challenge. There is so much knowledge to be learned when one deals with the various products. It can be difficult for a start but once one gets into it and goes thru the motions, it will soon become second nature.
Of course, during the course of doing it, one can expect some obstacles along the way, especially when the product is new to the sales manager/relationship manager.
Overall, it can be fun learning and picking up the knowledge while attempting to market and sell the many products.
Only thing to bear in mind when one is new, is not to make customers upset.

Bank Sales Manager: Unstable Job and Income?

2009-08-30T15:52:00.001+08:00

Working as a bank sales manager and handling customers' accounts and solving problems and issues for them is a huge challenge. They sometimes have very tricky requests that could take a long time to settle. On top on this, one would have to look for new business for the bank as well. This is done either thru recommending new products/services to existing customers or bringing totally new to the bank customers in.
Both ways, it is a challenge and it gets stressful at times. There are staff who leave the bank after a short spell, citing stress as the main push factor. More often than not, the sales staff have to manage high sales targets set for them by senior management on the one hand, and manage customers' expectations on the other, while maintaining low or zero complaint rates. Harmony among selfish colleagues and overworked admin staff is also hard to maintain.
How to do all these when one has to work fast and furious in order to achieve the high and demanding sales targets?
Some say it is almost impossible. Well, they are quite right. Few manage to weather thru this cycle unscathed. And some bankers who are good at their work manage to earn a very fat salary. However, having said that, these high-earning bankers are in the minority. Probably out of 20, 1 would make it big. Another 5 would be above average performers who are being treated as cash cows, while the other 14 would not even survive more than a year.

Number of Bank Closures in USA > 70 in 2009, Compared to 25 in 2008 and 3 in 2007

2009-08-15T17:19:00.001+08:00

Not sure if this kind of closures would ever happen in Singapore? If it does, then my job will be on the line. Please read.

Bank Closure

2009-08-15T17:12:00.000+08:00

Please read this article. Another bank closure in the USA.

Economy Picking Up?

2009-08-10T19:17:00.000+08:00

Please read this article if you are keen on knowing more about home loan packages.

Taiwan Bank Scams

2009-08-09T12:44:00.001+08:00

The below article is from Vivien Yeo, 07 August 2009, on bank scams in Taiwan.

An e-mail scam making its rounds in Taiwan, attempts to trick users into downloading malware, Symantec has warned. Systems without up-to-date patching for Adobe products are vulnerable to the attack.
Appearing to be a credit card promotional e-mail sent from a Taiwanese commercial bank, the spam message has a deliberate void in the content which gives users the impression that it failed to load properly, according to a Symantec blog post on Thursday night. Users are then instructed to click onto a link if they are unable to view the images.
Clicking on the link brings users to a Web page containing malicious code, which then redirects them to at least one other site. At this stage, it attempts to drop a shellcode--an exercise that targets systems without up-to-date patching for Adobe software. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain control of the machine.
Adobe last month released a patch for the vulnerability, which affects products including Flash Player, Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat.
When contacted by ZDNet Asia, a Symantec spokesperson declined to name the spoofed bank but noted that it had already been notified of the matter. Spam activity has been limited to Taiwan, the Singapore-based spokesperson added. Symantec was, however, unable to provide the number of infections.

Banking Counterparts?

2009-08-05T22:52:00.000+08:00

Are there any readers who are also working in banks and doing sales in particular? Personal Financial Services or Commercial Banking? Are there any interesting stories that you can share? Please leave a message in the comments section. Thank you very much.

Busy and Stressful Banking Work

2009-08-05T22:45:00.000+08:00

Dear all, I apologise if I have not written anything much lately. I have been so busy with work that I hardly have the time to write on this blog.
I find Banking Sales very interesting and challenging and it lets me meet people from many different business backgrounds. It is indeed fun, but it can also be stressful, what with all the demands placed upon us by management, customers and people in the bank/office.
Sometimes, it does get demoralising when things dont work out your way.

Weird Bank Customer

2009-08-01T20:24:00.000+08:00

There is this bank customer who was so blur as to sign up for a product with a bank sales staff who sold him at a more expensive rate compared with another bank sales staff.
This customer, seemed 'blur', when contacted by the latter staff who asked the customer, why he signed up with the other person?
The customer's reply was, 'I just signed, I did not know what exactly I was signing'.
Can you imagine that?

Some Lousy Customers

2009-07-25T22:32:00.000+08:00

So far, we have been talking about certain irresponsible bank sales staff and their inconsiderate actions, however, there are also some lousy customers who take advantage of the sales staff and make their lives difficult by wasting alot of these bank sales staff's time.
There is a customer who would, for the slightest reason, ask a bank sales staff to go to his office to meet him. After a few days, he would ask him down again, and everytime, just to chat a bit more about the bank product, but not signing up for it. How annoying and frustrating.

Some Female Bank Staff Would Misunderstand This Chap

2009-07-25T22:25:00.000+08:00

There is a charming and gentlemanly guy in the department who would respect ladies in the most utmost ways. He is a friendly chap who means no harm towards the opposite sex. However, some ladies would misunderstand him as he makes friends rather easily with the girls and would ask them out for lunch, sometimes one-to-one, sometimes in a group.
Well, can't blame the girls because there are so many black sheeps in the bank who spoil market by always targeting the girls as sex objects.
Thank God, there are some girls who know his true intentions and reciprocate his sincere niceness.

Bank Sales Manager: 200% of Sales Target

2009-07-19T13:33:00.000+08:00

A colleague of mine, from another branch, would every 3 months or so, achieve 200% of the sales target set for the month and earns about $10,000 of commission. Basic is roughly $3,000 plus, so that works out to be about $13,000-$14,000.
That is alot of money. Of course this doesn't happen every month, but once in 3 months with the other 2 months getting about $8,000-$9,000 for the 2 months is not bad at all.
That makes a total of about $20,000-$23,000 for 3 months of work.
Multiply that by 4, you can guess how much this colleague of mine makes in a year, not forgetting some bonuses as well.
Lucrative business, but only for a few. Most bankers make just enough to survive.

Earning A Comfortable Living

2009-07-18T23:00:00.001+08:00

Is it possible to earn a comfortable living working in sales? With God's Help, I believe so. Thank God for that.
Sales is similar to running a business, where there are costs and revenue to take into account.
As long as one is honest and sincere towards customers, sales will keep coming. As one of my readers said in one of the comments, honest is the best policy. Trust is the key when it comes to business, and when businessmen/women can trust a person or a salesperson, in this case, a bank salesperson, the deals will follow.
Thank God for that.

Working Smart

2009-07-18T22:23:00.000+08:00

In life, there are always ways to work smart in addition to working hard. I have been working hard all this while, but I would now try to change focus and work a little bit smarter.
When the office is full of people and is totally not conducive to working, I would try to avoid it by arranging to meet customers either at the bank or at their office. And when it is after office hours, I would then stay back in the office to do my work. Otherwise, it is really very unproductive to work in a noisy and interruptive environment.
Pray that it will work for me.

Ugly Side of Bank Sales

2009-07-15T22:22:00.000+08:00

There is another type of bank sales manager who would quote customers cut-throat rates with the intention of making the highest commission in the quickest amount of time.
No qualms about 'cheating' customers. These sort of sales people are unscrupulous, no ethics at all. How would they feel if the tables are turned and they are being 'cheated'?
It is always better to be honest even if it means working harder and putting in the extra hours to earn the same amount of money as someone who takes the easy way out and 'cheats' customers.
In the long run, you would defintely see the benefits of loyalty from customers and referrals etc.

Hardworking and Ambitious Bank Sales Manager

2009-07-12T16:31:00.000+08:00

There is a female bank sales manager who is very hardworking and ambitious. She has looks of a model and is tall enough to be one. She can easily be a full-time model or stewardess but she chose a bank sales career instead and is doing really well.
When she first joined the bank about a year ago, most people did not think much of her, except for her good looks. Most thought that she is a bimbo who would only know how to enjoy life by visiting night spots and hanging out with men. However, she proved them wrong by excelling in what she does. And she does not do well because she offers any extra services to customers, I know what some of you are thinking, she does her work in a professional way, without any form of hanky-panky.
For the past few months, she has achieved the highest of targets at the work place and her salary would surpass that of an average model or stewardess and she has that sense of job satisfaction.
She has defied all odds against her to excel at what she does, (most people thought she could only play and enjoy and lead the life of a bimbo), but she has proven them wrong. Well done. Hats off.

Have you ever wished that someone at your workplace is not working there?

2009-07-11T13:44:00.000+08:00

I have this colleague who is totally insensitive to others. This colleague would talk and laugh loudly and come over to your desk to 'disturb' you. It does not mean that when you are free, others are free too. You have to learn to watch the body language of others and ascertain if they are also in the mood for play, if they are busy and stressed, please give them some space and privacy. Totally cannot tolerate people like that!!!!!
I dont know if anyone else have encountered this before at the workplace?

Banking Crisis Over?

2009-07-11T13:41:00.000+08:00

Have a look at this article. Has the crisis moved out of the doldrum period? At least in the UK?

Busybody Sales Staff

2009-07-02T11:01:00.000+08:00

There are also some sales people who are such a busybody. They would like to find out about people's private lives by asking all sorts of 'out of line' questions.
I mean, you can ask, but if the person answering shows that he/she is uncomfortable answering, then you should stop probing.
These busybodies would like to watch which guy is talking to which girl and conclude that the guy likes that girl or vice versa.
They would then go to the girl and stare at her face and ask her uncomfortable questions. I am thinking they are doing this to see what sort of girls that guy likes.
And the worst part is they are so rough with their words and they talk so loudly, totally not lady-like. And they like to argue with guys over small issues and must always 'win' the arguments.
I have never seen such insensitive girls before.

'Stealing' Customers

2009-06-28T13:15:00.001+08:00

There is a bank sales staff who always laze around and is only interested in idling and getting to know the pretty girls. He would concentrate on making the most money in the easiest ways such as 'stealing' customer leads from his colleagues. Of course, he does this without their knowledge.
He would walk around his colleagues' desks and pretend to do some other things like talk on the mobile or read a document, but he was actually secretly looking at their potential customer leads and their contact details.
He would then return to his seat and make a call to these customers and close the deals by either offering better deals eg offering kickbacks to these customers, or pretending to be a bank staff from the courier department that is in charge of mailing documents to and from customers on behalf of the bank sales staff. He would then get the customers to sign the documents and submit them under his sales ID code.
Before long, some of his colleagues found out what he was doing but they could only complain to their team leaders who did not do much as this 'thief' was a big sized rough chap who often used bad language to show people that he is not to be messed around with.
Can you believe it?

Bank Sales People's Bad Habits

2009-06-27T19:57:00.000+08:00

There are some bank sales staff who are so lazy and yet want to stay in the job and earn the basic pay. They talk, eat, laugh and disturb the others who really want to work for a living. These lazy staff, when the bosses are away for meetings, are a real pain because they disrupt the office environment and are there to take a basic pay and thus increase the costs of the bank.

Objectivity of Bank Sales Job

2009-06-20T13:55:00.000+08:00

What I like most about this line of work is the objectivity of it.
If you work hard and achieve a high amount of sales, you are recognised as a good sales person. You can enjoy recognition from senior management, you can have freedom during office hours, and you can reap the fruits of your labour by earning the commission which is there for you to grab. And you can get to know alot of people during work.
It is quite different from an admin office role where politics play a huge part in determining whether or not senior management likes you or respects you. Cunning staff will know how to mingle with the powerful senior management people and rub shoulders with them in order to do less work and gain promotion and monetary rewards. It is almost the same at every workplace. This is the evil of office human nature. There are no 2 ways about it. Working life is like that.
As objective as it is at sales divisions, we also experience a fair bit of office politics. Some staff know how to curry favour the bosses and have an easier time even when their sales are bad, but the main thing is they cannot carry on having bad sales for long periods. If that happens, the person will eventually have to leave or transfer out as it is really very objective this environment. Each and every bank sales staff will have their sales numbers monitored and written on a big board so everybody knows everyone else's work rate and contribution.

Some Bank Sales Staff Earn Alot

2009-06-20T13:46:00.000+08:00

I know of some colleagues, either from my sales team or from a different branch or sales channel or sales department, who earn alot.
And I am not referring to huge pay earning areas like private banking or wholesale or global banking, I am only talking about personal financial services and small medium enterprises bank sales people.
Their basic salary could range from anywhere between $1,800-$3,500 depending on factors like education and experience and years of service, but the key point to note is their commission payout. Once they achieve a good amount of sales for the month or the quarter, they could be getting like anything from $1,500-$5,000 worth of commission.
This is quite an attractive sum of money considering many of these bank sales staff are only aged in their mid or late 20s to their 30s.

Endurance of Bank Sales People

2009-06-20T13:37:00.000+08:00

As a bank sales manager, you will have to endure periods of stress when times are bad. Sometimes, even if you work hard and long hours, you will not achieve what you set out to achieve. Reason being this line of work really depends on whether or not customers are willing to sign up for the bank products either for themselves or their companies.
And in areas of loans and credit lines, it is even tougher because even if you manage to find and convince customers to sign on the dotted line, their applications will still have to be assessed by the relevant credit approving departments which have strict standards for the applicants to adhere to.
Overall, patience, planning, and most importantly, prayers (at least for myself), are needed to succeed in this line of work.

SMEs In Singapore Less Optimistic About Business Climate

2009-06-16T21:45:00.000+08:00

There is an article in today papers which says that local SMEs are less confident about the economic climate.
They are worried that their customers will not be able to pay them on time or at all. And on the other hand, they are also worried that they will not receive their goods from their suppliers because of the bad business climate overseas and around the world.
Therefore, local SMEs are turning to banks to act as the middlemen and bridge the 'pay first get goods later, or get goods first pay later' Gap.
That is, International Trade Finance, which is something that commercial banking depts offer.

Some Female Bank Staff Dressing

2009-06-13T09:26:00.000+08:00

Some of these girls or women wear clothes that are simply not professional. They are either too low cut, too short or too transparent.
It is simply against the dress code policies of the bank but as usual, the male supervisors are busy enjoying the eye candy, so they do not even utter a word to hint that the dress code is being violated and this form of dressing is a major source of distraction for people at work.
The male staff will keep looking while the other female staff will either be upset or jealous. All these can be stopped easily by a word from the Manager to say that the dress code rules need to be adhered to. I have worked for a number of years, but I have never met a manager who would act impartially.

Hero vs Zero

2009-06-11T22:51:00.000+08:00

In the sales environment, one moment you can be a hero (ie when you are bringing in good sales volumns), the next moment you could be zero (ie when you are not performing and do not have sufficient sales).
So to maintain a consistent amount of sales, you have to work hard at times and smart at times too. For those of you who are in sales and in particular, banking sales, you will know exactly what I am talking about.
Because of this, many choose the path of mis-selling, ie they overpromise customers and sometimes hide certain pieces of important information from customers with the aim of securing the sale. To me, this is a No-No, do not do that. You are only asking for trouble. Your reputation is at stake. Integrity is of utmost importance!

Away From Banking: 'Curry Bashings'

2009-06-07T20:05:00.000+08:00

I have been following this issue which is happening down under. Indian Students have been targeted in a wave of attacks. Please read this article. I think that these Indian Students are innocent victims of hate-crime, but why are Aussies attacking them? There must be a reason behind it.
I know Aussies to be one of the most friendly and humble people. They are very sensitive and always spare a thought for others while driving, shopping, eating out, and for their neighbours. Of course, there are the odd few who are downright unreasonable, but overall, they are pleasant people.
I know this from personal experience as I have lived in various parts of Australia for a number of years.

Trojan Horse Attack Bank Portals

2009-06-06T17:48:00.000+08:00

There is talk that a Trojan Horse attack has been launched on some banks' portals. Bank customers who use online log-ins could possibly get their IDs and passwords stolen online.
Although I am from the banking industry, I have never liked using online banking. This is why.

Extended Banking Hours

2009-06-06T16:45:00.001+08:00

These days, one can get to bank at branches of a few banks after office hours and even on weekends. I went into one lately and noticed that at about 5pm-6pm on a weekday evening, there are not many people around. Only the tellers serving one or two customers and some people using the ATMs. The RMs and PFCs were at their desks doing their paper-work and no one (ie First Impression Officers) was even around to greet customers.
Not sure if this is an effective move by the banks.

STI Bounces Back

2009-05-30T15:10:00.000+08:00

It is looking good for investors. Please read.

Work Attitude of Young People

2009-05-30T14:54:00.000+08:00

Most youngsters these days have been brought up in a pampered envrionment. They have maids to look after them when they were little and some even order their maids around like prince and princesses.
They have been brought up in the computer and internet age, where things are done thru clicking the PC and getting things done fast. They eat fast food and play fast computer games. Everything has to be quick. The environment has made these youngsters impatient and less hardworking and focused compared to the older generation of people.
Most of all, their priorities are not with work. They prefer to do other things after office hours as they do not need to contribute to their family's financial needs. In fact, I know of some who work and still get pocket money from their parents. So who will be motivated to go the extra mile to earn more money? Cannot blame them.
Of course, there are a handful of youngsters who have the motivation and attitude and concentration to work hard and patiently achieve their goals. I have come across a few and quite a number of them are non-singaporeans.
If young Singaporeans dont get their act together and start working hard, they will soon be overtaken by these foreign workers who are more hardworking and cost employers less money to hire.

Asia Property Outlook

2009-05-19T21:21:00.000+08:00

This is an interesting article regarding the property market outlook in asia. Have a look. Thanks for reading.

Bank Sales Senior Management's Attitude

2009-05-17T20:33:00.000+08:00

I would like to ask my readers what you all think about bosses. If you are in the banking line, then do you think if bosses should use fear and pressure to get results or should they find out what problems the staff are facing and solve the problems before demanding for results?
If you are not from the banking industry, I would still like to hear your comments about bosses in general. How many of you feel that you have a good boss who really cares and spends time and effort in listening to the real problems faced by staff.
For someone to be at the top means he/she has to be real committed to his/her work. I understand that there are just too many issues to be looked at, but isn't that the reason why the top people are so well-paid?

Euro Bank Stress Tests

2009-05-12T21:24:00.000+08:00

Please read this article.

Lies Lies Lies

2009-05-12T21:12:00.000+08:00

Most people tell lies to get away. Why do humans tell lies? Well, it is simply because we are all thinking of our own skins.
If everyone is downright honest, then it will be an ideal situation. But the problem is most people feel that they will lose out in negotiations if they are too honest.
I, for one, believe that Honesty is the best policy, although who can say that they never told a single lie in their entire life? The difference is the extent of the lies and how many lies one tells compared to another person.

Bank Sales Performance

2009-05-10T14:07:00.000+08:00

When sales numbers are down, who should shoulder the bulk of the blame? Are the sales people to blame? or the management team?
I would say it is the latter rather than the former. Most people would think that the sales folks on the ground are the ones who are at fault, I beg to differ. Senior management staff are the ones who are mainly at fault. If their sales team is not performing, then it is their job to make them perform. If the sales team fails repeatedly, then the senior management team should be removed.
It is the same in sports management. When a football team does badly, the manager gets the sack. This is however not the case in most work places. Senior management will put the blame on some poor performing sales people and remove them from their jobs, instead of rightfully accepting the blame themselves.

Busy Busy Bank Sales Managers

2009-05-09T18:20:00.000+08:00

These days, we bank sales people are so busy. With the economic downturn, we now have to do more in terms of paperwork, risks as determined by risk management are higher so we have to write more reports to justify why certain facilities can be given. Then, there is the part where we now need to do more than 'one person's job'.
Admin staff nos are being cut, so we have to do lots of monotonous data entry to key in customers' information and updating and maintenance of databases. So besides the very tough/challenging nature of bringing in sales for the bank, we now face several extra duties to keep us busy after office hours too. I have not been able to write much on this blog lately as there is just no time on weeknights.
Pray that the situation improves so I can spend more time sharing news and stories with my dear readers.

Banks' Stress Tests

2009-05-02T12:32:00.000+08:00

Please read this article regarding Citigroup.

Bad Economic Situation

2009-05-02T12:19:00.000+08:00

We are already in a bad enough shape in terms of the economic situation. Let's pray that the current flu virus does not spread and worsen the already bad situation.
Airline Travel, Tourism, Trade, General Commerce etc are already slowing down due to the financial crises that we are in, if the flu crises worsens, we are in for an even tougher time, with more job lay-offs and problems.
Pray that this does not happen. We all need the economy to be vibrant in order to enjoy the present good standard of living that we so fortunately have at this point in time.

High Sales Targets and Stress.

2009-04-30T10:23:00.001+08:00

Some of my readers have expressed concerns over the high sales targets that are set for them by their management. Whether or not you are a PFC, RM (personal, middle enterprises, wholesale) Private Banker, SME Specialist, Mortgage Specialist etc, you will no doubt be feeling the stress lately.
Market is slow and a large number of consumers are sceptical about banks these days. If your targets are AUM (Assets Under Management) based, you will be even more stressed as your performance will be based on the $ that you can bring in. A customer recently said that he would rather put his hard earned $ at home under his bed or pillow than with a bank. And he was real serious when he passed that comment.

Hard And Smart Work Pay Off

2009-04-25T12:57:00.000+08:00

There are some bank sales staff who work hard and long hours. They get their networks right, look for customers in the most efficient and effective ways, dont mind putting in the hours on weeknights and even weekends, and work their hearts out when delivering service to customers so that these satisfied customers will either come back for more bank products or recommend their friends and business associates to these bankers.
I know a number of such bank sales personnel who usually would succeed in their various fields. Not only are the monetary rewards good, there is that sense of satisfaction when you have that special bond with your customers who would only want to deal with you. As in all relationships, trust is key.

Some True Stories

2009-04-24T22:52:00.000+08:00

I guess in Life, it is always the same. When nothing happens, everything and everyday will just be the same. People go to work and come home to sleep. Basically, nobody cares about 'Anticipation'.
Even certain senior management staff do not draw up Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the purpose of guiding people working on the ground.
I have been working in about 3 organisations since I first started working after university. Most senior managers are busy 'playing politics' to climb the corporate ladder and are mainly concerned about their own personal career path. So they do not have the time to do the right things in the office.
For example, when somebody sends an email to a customer with certain information that is not supposed to be sent out, and when a complaint is received, it becomes a big issue that is being discussed at meetings and thru emails. There will be finger-pointing and blame-pushing. Lots of time is spent at this fault-avoiding phase.
Well, in the first place, who is to blame? Senior managers are paid a high salary to do nothing, because their main job is to manage people below them. They only need to use their brains to give instructions to the people below them to get things done. They should have drawn out SOPs to guide the staff so that staff know exactly how to act in various situations. There should also be standard Questions & Answers for staff to refer to especially frontline staff who face customers everyday.
Senior managers have to think of all these issues and have the appropriate systems put in place before anything goes wrong. And if unfortunately, something goes wrong, they should be the ones to shoulder the blame if there are no proper systems in place.

There Is A Saying, 'Never Trust A Politician and A Salesman

2009-04-23T20:52:00.001+08:00

There is this saying that I heard. What do you all think? Is there truth in this saying? Please leave comments if you want to, we can discuss this. Dont worry, you can be honest, I dont mind although I am in sales too because I have seen how sales people do things just for money.

Been Busy Lately

2009-04-23T20:48:00.001+08:00

I apologise that I have not been writing much the past week or so. I have been rather busy running my own sales. Sales numbers have not been good for me lately, so that means more late nights for me. Gotta look for more clients. This present market situation is real tough, I have readers who emailed me asking me for advice on sales techniques. I hope they are doing well, and I do understand what they are going through because I am also facing the pressure albeit on a different scale and level.

One Arrogant Banker

2009-04-18T11:48:00.000+08:00

I met a Team Head in charge of a Sales Team in one of the banks. He thinks he knows everything, and is so full of himself. Actually, he does not know that he is just a salesman who happens to sell a slightly higher-end product, that's all. I admit that I am a bank salesman too. Anyway, this world has all sorts of people. Some think that power, money can bring them success and satisfaction. Well, to each his own.

Female Bank Sales Staff

2009-04-18T11:44:00.000+08:00

Some of these female sales staff doll themselves up so much when they go to work. I am not sure why they have to do that, some even wear very revealing clothes. Is it to show their colleagues that they have a nice body, or to capture their male bosses' attention, or to lure male customers into signing up for products?

S$200,000 Entitles You To ........

2009-04-12T17:47:00.000+08:00

Put S$200,000 into the banks and you can be members of eg:
DBS- Treasures
HSBC - Premier
UOB - Privilege
Standard Chartered - Priority
Citi - Citigold
A RM will be in-charge of your account and you can supposedly contact the RM almost 24/7 if not there is a special banking hotline for you to call for all banking requests/needs.
You may receive some complimentary tickets to some events happening in Singapore, but perhaps once or twice a year only, unlike the private banking customers who have more privileges.

Weekend Branch Banking

2009-04-12T15:47:00.000+08:00

At the moment, only some banks like POSB, OCBC and Standard Chartered offer weekend branch banking for walk-in customers at some of their selected branches.
If I am not wrong, POSB only opens on Saturdays, while OCBC and Standard Chartered open on both Saturdays and Sundays at certain branches.
This is a great idea as busy bank customers have the option of visiting the bank on weekends. Nowadays most people work long hours in Singapore. Some people really do not have the time to go to the bank branch during weekdays because they work till 8,9 or even 10pm almost every night. Of course, there is the other option of internet and phone banking but some transactions or enquiries need to be done at the bank branch itself.

Negotiation

2009-04-10T13:34:00.001+08:00

Life is all about Negotiation. One can say that when you are young, you should study hard, get good results, after graduation from university, find a good job and everything else will work out fine.
Well, actually, from my own experience, studying hard when you are young and working hard when you are in the workforce, are all important, however, one of the most essential ingredients to a successful career is to know how to Negotiate well enough.
Everything is about the 'N' word. When you talk with people, you are already negotiating in terms of sharing opinions, which opinion gets the longest talk time depends on subtle negotiation. When you are discussing a business deal with a client, it is either you get the upper hand or the client gets the upper hand, or you strike a balance and meet somewhere halfway. When you work with colleagues in the office, it is either they take advantage of you or vice versa, or strike a balance and meet halfway again. When you are walking in a crowded area, it is either you walk up the escalator first or the other person does, when you want to enter a lift in a crowded place, it is the same case. When you speak with your boss, it is either he/she has they way, or you have your way, or meet halfway again.
Almost everything hinges upon Negotiation. Negotiate well with a certain level of EQ, one can be successful in most things.

MAS Guidelines for Banks

2009-04-04T16:33:00.000+08:00

I think this is a good step towards achieving some sanity in terms of bank sales staff and their dealings with bank customers. Please read, thanks. Actually, when something goes wrong in a bank, eg a customer feels that he/she is being treated unfairly because certain crucial information was not conveyed to him/her when he/she first signed up for the bank products and subsequently made a loss, the senior mgt are the ones who should be responsible for the bulk of the blame, not the sales staff.
Just imagine, eg a person wants to slim down and goes on a diet, but when he/she sees a tasty-looking ice-cream or cake, which contain alot of calories, and picks it up with his/her hands and puts it into his/her mouth and eats it, who is at fault? The hand that picks it up or the brain of the person which controls the hand?

Don't Take Customer Rejections Personally

2009-04-04T14:21:00.000+08:00

As a sales staff in a bank, we all have to go thru the agony of talking with strangers who happen to be a customer of the bank we work for. If you do not like making conversations with strangers to begin with, then you are not suitable for the job.Also, sometimes or alot of the times, you will meet customers who would reject you upfront or in a slightly rude manner. Don't take this rejection in a personal way, they are not fed up with you personally, just that they may have had a bad experience with a bank recently or they may just be in a foul mood that particular day.Let's put it this way, if a person had just struck lottery which comes with a big sum of money, they will never be rude towards you even if you ask them repeatedly to sign up for bank products. Or if someone had just scored distinctions in all subjects in an exam, they will also likely smile when you approach them. Or if they have just been able to secure a date with the girl or guy that they like. So most of the time, getting rejected while on the job is just a part of the job, do not need to feel demoralised or affected.Main thing to note is, continue to try to look for potential customers to sign up for the bank products on offer. Continue to push on.

Traits of A Good Bank Sales Staff

2009-03-30T18:24:00.000+08:00

Some people regard aggressiveness as an important trait of a sales person. So what they mean is that this 'aggressive' person must talk alot and be very persuasive and convincing to succeed as a sales person. That is what most people I come across have as their opinion.
For me, I beg to differ, I believe that one needs to be sincere, humble and sensitive to be able to succeed as a sales person, especially in bank sales. No use being too pushy, nobody likes people who are just thinking about selling their products and do not care about customers' real needs.
What do you think? Please leave comments if you have something to say, much appreciated. Thanks.

SMEs To Lead Recovery

2009-03-29T15:46:00.000+08:00

SMEs could be the ones leading the economic recovery. Please read. Interesting article indeed.

Bank Clerical Staff

2009-03-29T15:31:00.001+08:00

Now for a slightly different side of the bank sales environment. As you know, there are many clerical officers (COs) who support the Bank RMs in executing their daily work.
These clerical staff could be doing simple filing, data entry, photocopying, scanning, faxing, emailing and making certain calls to customers to verify certain information.
There are some COs who are really diligent in their work and are impartial towards supporting the RMs. On the other hand, there are a handful who are in the bank or the office to create all sorts of problems. They could be the ones hindering the flow of the bank sales process by favouring certain RMs or they could be there to talk and laugh with certain colleagues or RMs and slow down the work of the RMs who really want to work and bring in lots of sales for the bank. Many many other examples (some too nasty to mention) of ways in which these COs can be a thorn in any bank sales working environment.
So it is the duty of the Sales Team Manager/Team Head/Branch Manager to be sharp enough to pinpoint who exactly are the ones who are causing problems. Identify them and turn things around.

Unscrupulous RMs

2009-03-21T15:35:00.000+08:00

Some RMs, for the sake of money, will promise their customers all the positives and hide all the negatives. For example, the particular bank product states that the principle sum of money invested is protected. However, there is a clause which states that only the first $5,000 invested is protected. So if a customer invests $10,000 (and is not aware of this clause), and if market conditions are good and positive gains are made, then there is no issue. On the other hand, if the investment turns sour because of bad market conditions, and the principle sum of $10,000 loses $7,000 of its value, the customer will lose $2,000.
In the long run, this isn't healthy because once customers find out the negatives, some will lodge a complaint with the bank and/or with the relevant authorities (eg MAS, CASE).
The RM will not only get himself/herself into trouble but will also tarnish the reputaion of the bank he/she works for.
So in my humble opinion, please refrain from doing the above for the sake of a few thousand dollars of extra commission. It is a lose-lose-lose situation for the customer, the bank and the RM involved.

Banks' Growth Forecasts For Countries

2009-03-20T15:25:00.000+08:00

Please read this article. Alot of information regarding Forecasted Growth Rates of certain countries.

Trusted Banker

2009-03-18T18:03:00.000+08:00

Anyone who wants to sign up for products with banks, should seek the advice of a trusted banker. Someone who they have had dealings with previously and who will more often than not have their clients' interests at heart.
If you do not know anyone from the banking industry, then there is not much of a choice but to 'try' someone out, otherwise ask friends for recommendations. That way, at least you can have some references from them about your potential banker.
Whether or not it is to invest your hard earned money or to apply for loans or to re-structure your deposits, it is always advisable to have someone trustworthy to explain the 'hidden' terms of the deal.

I become a bank customer for one day

2009-03-16T19:49:00.000+08:00

I went to do certain banking stuff and some of these front counter staff, some call them first-impression officers, really need some hard core training on their manners.
They only know how to greet customers by saying 'Good morning or afternoon' and at the end say 'Thank you'. These are all good, but the in-betweens can be really a sour experience for customers.
An example was this staff who pointed me towards the teller area and said, 'do it over there'. It sounded more like a command. And another staff who answered one of my questions in an irritated manner by saying, 'No, we dont do it here, like I said, we only do it at the back end'.
Would it not have been nicer to say 'Sir, could you please proceed over there to complete your transaction' and for the latter to say, 'Sir, I'm sorry, but like I was saying earlier, we can only do it at the back end and not here, hope you understand'.
Which sounds better?

Bank Sales Environment and Chart

2009-03-13T21:04:00.000+08:00

When one does well in his/her sales, there will usually be a board placed somewhere in the office to show who the top performers for that month/quarter are.
Perhaps an email from senior mgt to show who the top sales staff are as well.
If one is among the top few, it makes them feel proud of their accomplishments.

Bank Sales Management

2009-03-09T21:26:00.000+08:00

Bank Sales Management (Team Manager) is a funny art or science whichever you want to put it. On the one hand, you have to motivate your staff to work hard for you by trying to bring in as many sales as possible, but on the other hand, you have to think about your costs.
So in a nutshell, to be a Team Manager, is to be a sales person yourself, you have to motivate and push your staff to work hard and bring in sales, but at the same time, you have to weigh all the costs involved and see if it's profitable for you to give out so much commission. It requires a crucial balancing act.
If not done well, you will make your staff angry and frustrated with you because they will have the impression that you are always dangling the carrot (sales target and commission) too far ahead of them and no matter how hard they work, they will always miss it.
A good manager will know what to do in this situation. If your staff thinks you are 'cheating' them, you have failed badly in your role as a Sales Team Manager.

Management Associate (MA) Role

2009-03-07T11:33:00.000+08:00

There are some people who choose to take the ambitious path of taking on the challenge of becoming a MA at a bank.

This is an interesting role as it exposes the person to many departments in a particular division within the bank. The MA could be at one department for 6 months and move onto another for another 6 months.

During this period, the MA will be pushed to the limits with lots of projects to study the way things are done in the departments and recommend ways to improve the process flow, attend meetings, make presentations, do up reports, attend trainings, may go on overseas assignments, write summary reports, basically, it is a very stressful and demanding role which needs long hours at work.

The entire stint may range from 2-3years, after which the MA will be well-trained in the various facets of the division's work.

The MA will then be well-suited to take up the role of a manager in one of the division's area of work. This is the fruit of the MA's labour over the entire 2-3years of hard work.

Safest Banks

2009-03-04T22:17:00.000+08:00

Have a look at this article. Can you believe that some of the banks are in there after the recent lehman brothers scandal?

Some Senior Management Are A Real Pain While Some Sales Staff Are Equally Lousy

2009-03-02T21:48:00.000+08:00

There are some senior management people who are a pain for hardworking sales staff. The sales staff who work hard are the ones who suffer because they are the cash cows for the bank.
They work so hard and bring in sales but the management will know how to limit their earnings by finding ways to either raise their sales targets or look for ways to sabotage their end of the month/quarter sales so as to make them miss by a little their higher tier target.
In this way, they will save costs and maximise their revenue. These type of management people are the worst of the lot. They do not protect their sales staff and are insincere people who are out to 'cheat' their hardworking subordinates.
On the other hand, there are sales staff who are cunning enough and they will not work hard and instead suck the bank of the commission by 'playing hide and seek' with their sales. They will keep their sales and put them together in a certain quarter/month and earn large commission while keeping up the trend of inconsistent performances.
So, there are senior management staff who are lousy people and also sales staff who are crap as well. Put the two together and it spells disaster.

Australian Unemployment Rate

2009-03-01T12:50:00.000+08:00

Please read this article. Australia has over recent years been enjoying very good economic success, but looks like it too has been vastly affected by this global economic crisis.

Hazards of Bank Sales Part 2

2009-02-27T23:55:00.000+08:00

There is another type of hazard. When you become a Manager, be it a Team Manager, Branch Manager or General Manager, actually this applies not only in bank sales, but almost everywhere else (every industry), members of the opposite sex will want to get close to you.
As you have the position and power to decide on things and even decide on who can stay on the job and who has to leave, people (most of the time, the opposite sex) will try to get close to you in order to receive favours in return.
Say you are a male manager, some of the more cunning bank sales girls (be it PFCs, RMs etc) will want to get close to you, how close? It depends on how close the manager wants the relationship to be? He calls the shots as he is the boss. These cunning girls will want to be close to you and they can work less, stay on the job, even get a promotion, and be on the receiving end of double standard treatment (of course their's would be the positive side of the double standards).
An example would be say the sales team does badly this quarter and the Team Manager wants all team members to stay back late to work or to go back to work on weekends. If this girl is doing ok with her sales, say she is half way to her sales target, then the Team Manager will announce to everyone that anyone who is less than halfway to his/her sales target will have to work late/weekends, so she gets to leave early and do not have to work weekends. If she is not doing well in the next quarter, then the rule will be for whoever who did not achieve his/her sales target the previous month, who will have to work more etc etc.
In a nutshell, the rules at the workplace will always be adjusted in such a way that suit her.
Bad, isn't it? Guys and Girls, please do not ever even think of doing such a thing, if you get entangled in such a mess, chances are, you will get special privileges at first, but as time goes by, you will realise that it is a vicious cycle that never ends.
The best way to work is to be sincere, honest, and don't depend on all these stupid connections, but rather on pure sincere hard work.

Hazards of Bank Sales Job

2009-02-25T21:49:00.000+08:00

All jobs bring with it joy and happiness, while also bringing certain negatives and irritations. Well, there are many perks that come with a banking sales career but the downsides are enormous too.
Let me elaborate a little.
For ladies, you might get male customers who are mainly thinking of getting to know you better rather than in the products you offer. They may ask you a lot of personal questions in the branch or if you are a mobile banker, worse still, at their offices or even their houses if you are a mobile mortgage bank sales staff.
Some of these male customers or potential customers will want you to talk with them for hours and may even request for you to have a meal with them. They will most probably pay for the meal and drinks, but you can probably guess what they are after, especially if you are an attractive lady.

Banking as a Servant to the Economy, never its Master

2009-02-22T19:10:00.000+08:00

Well said. Please read this article. That's the way banking should be. Good old old-fashion banking.