Savings Specialist/Express Mails specialist

[LindaPowell]

Hello, I would like to introduce myself here, I am a Savings Specialist and an Express mails Specialist at Hereford branch Office. I am at home today revising for my annual product knowledge tests for Savings which I take tomorrow. I would like to meet other Saving Specialists to share progress in this role with me. I think it is quite a new role and there's not many of us out there doing it yet. Some say it's a supporting role to the FSS in branch whilst others think it's an FSS on the cheap [Savings Specialists to do not get any monetry reward for taking on the role] It is quite difficult to master and I am definately on a learning curve with this but with the right support from my Branch manager and the in branch FSS I will be able to master the role.

I don't have access to the intranet and I was wondering if there was anything on there to help with revision, practise tests perhaps?

Nice to be here, time for a mooch around

Linda

[POSTMAN]

Welcome,will move this to the PO forum.

[Blue8]

Why are you doing both roles is that your choice?

[PO1]

Hello, I would like to introduce myself here, I am a Savings Specialist and an Express mails Specialist at Hereford branch Office. I am at home today revising for my annual product knowledge tests for Savings which I take tomorrow. I would like to meet other Saving Specialists to share progress in this role with me. I think it is quite a new role and there's not many of us out there doing it yet. Some say it's a supporting role to the FSS in branch whilst others think it's an FSS on the cheap [Savings Specialists to do not get any monetry reward for taking on the role] It is quite difficult to master and I am definately on a learning curve with this but with the right support from my Branch manager and the in branch FSS I will be able to master the role.

I don't have access to the intranet and I was wondering if there was anything on there to help with revision, practise tests perhaps?

Nice to be here, time for a mooch around

Linda

If a Savings Specialist role has been created surely there would be a reward based on exceeding targets just like for the travel/EMS specialists. To be honest I've never heard of a Savings Specialist role.

[LindaPowell]

Why are you doing both roles is that your choice?

Yes it was my choice to take on both roles. I have been the EMS at our branch since the role was introduced [2009]. I volunteered in October 2010 to take on the training with the aim of becoming the Savings Specialist. It is my understanding that this is a pilot venture to see if it can work. I am able to assist the sales in all Post Office savings products and NS&I savings available in branch. I do not have personal targets and the Sales I get are put through horizon on the branch FAD code. I only get referrals once all other avenues have been suggested.

Savings referral's from the counter would first be directed to the branch FSS, if she is busy an attempt to book an appointment with her would be made. If this is not suitable and it is felt the sale would be lost the referral comes to me.

As part of my role I would do a full Savings consultation and introduce our FSS and her role and request consent to contact from the customer which is given to the FSS.

I cannot have appointments made in the FSS diary. If a customer would like to continue to see me in the future for Savings they can only see me if I'm available when they come into the office. A customer can phone the office and ask to speak to me but I cannot phone a customer.

[onlyanother30years]

As you have 2 career path roles, Are all clerks in your office following the career path and have a role as required?

[LindaPowell]

As you have 2 career path roles, Are all clerks in your office following the career path and have a role as required?

No, I have to admit that not all clerks have a role as required, though most do. When a role is required it is left up to staff to volunteer and well some will never volunteer.

I am aslo the Meeter Greeter [the main one who went on the course] and I have trained others to meet and greet to share the role with me.

I suppose it looks like I have taken a lot on, I do manage to do all the roles okay with PDR ratings at 4's and 5's. I was part time and went Full time just 4 months ago. 12 years service.

I like the challange and the variety of the extra roles, I will not be taking any more on though haha - enough already!

[The BFO]

Linda, you have stirred my curiosity. What is you office Staff Cost to Income ratio?

Paul

[LindaPowell]

Linda, you have stirred my curiosity. What is you office Staff Cost to Income ratio?

Paul

I don't know the answer to this I do know that we ran the office with several staff vacancies for almost a year so the office had spare hours to keep 'in the bag' to use when required though. We currently have an FSS full time vacancy.

We still have spare hours to play around with and we are interviewing for a casual at the moment.

We had no manager in posistion for 10 months [our ABM was acting manager with no ABM, he has just secured his manager position last week] We now have a new ABM starting next week.

We have a good bunch of staff and some are cross trained to take on duties for when there was no management present in the office. Though this is now rectified with our office finally having a BM and an ABM at last