Call Center Associate

Job Summary 

The Call Center Associate provides prompt, accurate, and professional service to Farmers & Merchants Bank (FMB) customers primarily by telephone. This role assists customers with account servicing, product and service information, routine transactions, and problem resolution while adhering to bank policies, security procedures and applicable regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide timely customer service response to our FMB customers who contact the bank via telephone by: 
  • Utilizing effective listening skills to ensure understanding of the customer’s request(s). 
  • Effectively managing product/service knowledge so that delivery of information is fast and accurate.
  • Providing relative information, solutions and actions steps to address the customer’s needs.
  • Managing call handling time and after-call work efficiently while maintaining service quality, accuracy and compliance. 
  • Maintaining schedule adherence and availability standards in accordance with department expectations.
• Ensure that every caller is properly identified per the Customer Identification Program (CIP) and related policies, prior to providing any account specific information to callers.
• Process authorized customer service requests and account transactions in accordance with bank policy and applicable regulations.
• Demonstrate professional call handling skills, including appropriate greeting, active listening, clear communication, de-escalation, and proper close. Resolve customer inquiries independently whenever appropriate and escalate matters in accordance with policy, risk level and complexity.
• Adhere to bank policies and procedures and maintain a minimum level of errors to ensure a positive customer service experience with each customer.
• Identify opportunities to improve our customer’s relationship with FMB by suggesting additional bank products and services that will benefit the customer with their financial needs; meeting sales and cross-sale goals.
• Place after-call notes on the customer’s account profile after every call, where the customer is identified, to record the date, time, and purpose of the customer’s contact with the bank.
• Utilize call center customer relationship management, and banking systems proficiently to document interactions, research account activity, and complete service requests accurately while speaking with clients. 
• Recognize, document and escalate suspected fraud, suspicious activity, elder financial abuse concerns, and other high-risk situations in accordance with bank policy and applicable law. 
• Meet established performance expectations related to customer service, quality assurance, productivity, schedule adherence, and accuracy.

Compliance Responsibilities 

Complies with all applicable state and federal banking laws, regulations, and internal policies related but not limited to lending, operations, and deposit requirements, including Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regulations, Customer Identification Program (CIP) requirements, Financial Elder Abuse reporting laws, Sexual Harassment prevention policies, information security and privacy requirements.

Required Knowledge 

• Products and Services
• Bank Policies/Procedures

• Bank Secrecy Act

• Privacy Laws

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

• Knowledge of banking products and services.
• Excellent customer service skills.

Equipment Operated 

• Operates standard electronic computers and customary office equipment required to perform essential job functions.
• Use of equipment is required, with or without reasonable accommodation, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).

Physical Requirements & Work Environment 

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Nothing in this description is intended to limit the availability of reasonable accommodation under applicable law.

• Ability to perform repetitive movements associated with office and computer-based work.
• Ability to sit and or stand for extended periods of time to perform essential job functions.
• Ability to lift, carry, or move objects weighing up to 25 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to use hands and fingers to manage, ma