What Does a Bank Teller Do? (With Skills and Salary)

A bank teller is the first point of contact for customers of a bank regarding all their transactional requirements like cash deposit or withdrawal. These professionals are primarily responsible for customer services like handling cash, cheques and financial documents. Understanding the job, role, skills and salary of a bank teller can help you decide whether you want to become one. In this article, we find out what a bank teller does, discuss the skills needed for the job and look at their average salary.

What does a bank teller do?

A bank teller may perform the following tasks on a daily basis:

• managing cash, cheques, customer deposits and withdrawal transactions

• supervising transactions like demand draft, manager's cheque, fund transfer and loan payments

• maintaining the cash drawer daily by checking the cash assigned, received and disbursed

• performing administrative tasks, such as answering phone calls and responding to emails

• opening and closing customer bank accounts

• processing changes in customer's account details like address, phone number or identity proof

• selling banking products and services, like home loans or credit cards

• exchanging foreign currency as per existing international exchange rates

• providing customers with information on interest rates and credit options

• issuing chequebooks, credit or debit cards

Related: How To Get a Bank Job: A Complete Guide

What is the salary of a bank teller?

The average salary for a bank teller is ₹2,31,967 per year. A teller's job can be a part-time or full-time engagement. In a full-time role, they may have to work for 45 to 50 hours per week.

Bank tellers can increase their earning potential by expanding their knowledge and skills. They can enrol in educational institutions to pursue a diploma or certificate courses. These additional certifications can help them improve their competence and add to their professional accomplishments.

How to become a bank teller

To become a bank teller, you may follow these steps:

1. Complete your education

The educational qualifications necessary for a bank teller are:

• Graduation: A bachelor's degree in any discipline from a university recognised by the Government of India or any equivalent qualification.

• Computer literacy: Working knowledge of how to operate a computer, the ability to use software and perform different tasks related to financial data or customer information.

• Proficiency in the official language of the state or union territory: Knowing how to read, write and speak the official language of the state or the union territory where you prefer to apply.

2. Finish additional courses and certifications

You can pursue various self-study, online and offline courses in finance, accounting or banking to help build your skills. Here is what you can learn from these courses:

• customer service skills

• knowledge of various bank products and services

• digital banking

• foreign exchange

• communication

• handling cash and cheques

• balancing daily transactions

• compliance and regulations

• security protocols

• holding funds

• leadership

• time management

• problem-solving skills

3. Clear entrance examinations for banks

To be a bank teller in public sector banks, it is essential to clear the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) Common Written Examination (CWE) Clerk examination. The two stages of this exam involve an online preliminary examination and then the online main examination. Here is a list of subjects to study to clear these examinations:

• English language

• numerical ability

• reasoning ability

• general and financial awareness

• computer aptitude

• quantitative aptitude

Private banks usually conduct periodic recruitment drives and may have their own examination process as well. Some eligibility conditions, like age, may vary as per the exam or bank.

Skills required to become a bank teller

Here is a list of skills that can help you become a successful bank teller:

Cash handling and mathematical skills

Bank tellers handle cash daily and accuracy, alongside vigilance, is essential. They may also require quick calculation skills to carry out their work as it demands attention to detail effectively. These skills can help a teller maintain and balance a cash drawer credibly.

Customer service skills

Since the teller is a customer-facing bank employee, being courteous can help establish a good rapport with the customers. Good interpersonal and communication skills also ensure higher customer satisfaction and sales of bank products like credit cards or loans. These skills can also help resolve customer queries, defuse potential conflicts and support patrons with personalised services.

Related: What Is Customer Service? Definition and Career Advice

Computer and software knowledge

Banks generally use internal digital tools and software to facilitate smooth and secure banking. Computer knowledge, along with swift learning of new interfaces, can help bank tellers succeed. This can also guarantee fewer errors and higher accuracy, both of which are essential parts of the job.

Organisational skills

Bank tellers deal with large sums of money which need to be kept safe and secure. Smart organisation of cash can ensure orderly cash drawer maintenance and accurate balancing of the drawer. It is important for tellers to be adept at handling and managing high-value cash transactions with swiftness and precision.

Documentation and data entry skills

Bank tellers may also manage customer documents related to the account or transactions. Scanning them for missing or incorrect information and inputting the correct data is vital to prevent cases of fraud and forgery. Updating customer account information requires effective data entry skills that can deliver error-free results.

Communication skills

Assisting customers with their queries, coordinating between different bank functions and regular reporting are essential parts of the job of a bank teller. Since they handle money, communicating clearly and effectively is an important part of the job. Tellers are excellent at interacting with customers, senior citizens and bank managers.

Multi-tasking skills

A banking job offers a fast-paced work environment where multiple processes take place simultaneously. Tellers are also a part of several of these processes involving customers and other bank officials. Thus, the ability to multitask is crucial for bank tellers to operate with maximum productivity and minimum stress.

Discretion

The entire banking sector operates on the trust between a bank and its patrons, and discretion is an important part of the job. A bank teller has the access to a customer's private financial and contact information. Keeping this information confidential and it is vital for bank tellers to be discrete and build trust with all customers.

Related: Customer Satisfaction: How To Measure and Tips for Improvement

Similar bank jobs and their salaries

Here are some bank jobs similar to that of a teller that you can also consider:

1. Service delivery manager

National average salary: ₹9,77,614 per year

Primary duties: Service delivery managers are responsible for delivering uninterrupted services to the customers of a bank. They ensure there are no pending customer complaints or requests with their team. They perform drawer audits and various checks to prevent fraud, along with creating routine progress reports of the team members.

2. Financial advisor

National average salary: ₹21,022 per month

Primary duties: Financial advisors assist people or companies with how to manage their money. They build financial plans that may include savings, expenditures, insurance or investments. A financial advisor regularly monitors a client's portfolio to help them accomplish their financial goals.

3. Phone banker

National average salary: ₹15,936 per month

Primary duties: Phone bankers offer banking services to customers over the phone. They cover all banking services, including selling bank products to existing or new customers. They also provide product and service information to customers, along with resolving their queries and complaints telephonically.

4. Loan officer

National average salary: ₹15,181 per month

Primary duties: Loan officers oversee the lending and credit operations of a bank. They compute the time and interest based on the customer requirement, prepare a debt payment schedule and then process the loan request. Ensuring that the customer's application is complete and eligible by verifying all information is an essential part of their job.

5. Customer relationship officer

National average salary: ₹14,992 per month

Primary duties: Customer relationship officers engage with customers to build and sustain long-term relationships. They resolve customer complaints swiftly and ensure that they do not face any banking challenges or grievances. A customer relationship officer works to sustain and improve customer retention, which is critical for any bank's profitability.

Career scope of bank tellers

A bank teller is an entry-level position that helps you take the first step towards a secure high-paying job. As you move ahead, you can widen the career scope of a bank teller job. With experience and seniority, you can become a head teller or take up other supervisory and leadership roles. For example, you can become a customer manager, credit officer or even take up a sales position. Here are a few lucrative job options you can pursue after gaining substantial experience working as a bank teller:

• customer relationship officer

• loan officer

• sales officer

• personal banker

• financial advisor

• administrative assistant

• audit manager

• accounts manager

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.