Customer services representatives - financial institutions
Career Overview
Customer service representatives in financial institutions handle customers’ financial transactions, including cashing cheques, completing money transfers and opening and closing accounts.
People in this occupation:
- Record data, produce receipts and provide information on related banking products and services
- Are employed by banks, trust companies, credit unions and similar financial institutions
Job Titles
Duties
Workers in this group perform some or all of the following duties:
- Process customer cash deposits and withdrawals, cheques, transfers, bills and credit card payments, money orders, certified cheques and other related banking transactions
- Obtain and process information required for the provision of services, such as opening accounts and savings plans and purchasing bonds
- Sell travellers' cheques, foreign currency and money orders
- Answer enquiries and resolve problems or discrepancies concerning customers' accounts
- Inform customers of available banking products and services to address their needs.
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
5,995% Employed Full Time
47%This a fast-paced environment in which workers process a high volume of customer requests and provide excellent customer service.
Customer service representatives in financial services must follow strict banking hours.
Career Pathways
Progression to supervisory/management or sales positions is possible with experience.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
Although on-the-job training is generally provided, employers usually prefer that employees have a high-school diploma or equivalent. Other requirements may include:
- Experience working in a fast-paced customer service-oriented environment
- A degree in finance (or something similar) and/or the completion of the Investment Funds in Canada course
- Being bondable and having basic security clearance, confidential security clearance and a criminal record check
- Basic computer skills, including accurate data entry and experience handling cash
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Business Administration/Management/Commerce
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
5,995Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 175 | 2.9% |
| Kootenay | 160 | 2.7% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 3,980 | 66.4% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 105 | 1.8% |
| Northeast | 75 | 1.3% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 615 | 10.3% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 890 | 14.8% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
2,090Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 30 | -0.2% |
| Kootenay | 40 | -0.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,550 | 1.3% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 50 | 1.2% |
| Northeast | 10 | -0.3% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 180 | 0.1% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 230 | 0.2% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Finance, Insurance and Real Estate | 1,940 |
| Retail Trade | 50 |
| Information, Culture and Recreation | 20 |
| Public Administration | 20 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 20 |
Insights from Industry
It is becoming more common for banking institutions to hire co-op students, with the hope of hiring them full-time once they have completed their education.
Some banking institutions have begun creating different sectors within the bank, opening the possibility for individuals to specialize in a specific area in the future.
Resources
-
Canadian Bankers Associationwww.cba.ca