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Financial services customer adviser

Alternative titles for this job include Sales adviser, contact centre agent

Financial services customer advisers provide online, telephone and face-to-face services in banks, building societies and other financial companies.

Average salary (a year)

£25,000 Starter

to

£31,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

36 to 40

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • applying directly

College

You could do a college course which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need in this job.

Course include:

  • customer service
  • contact centre operations
  • T Level in Finance

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

More Information

Apprenticeship

You can apply to a bank, building society or financial company to do a Customer Services Practitioner Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship, or a Senior Financial Services Customer Adviser Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.

These take around 1 year to complete. They combine on-the-job training and time spent learning about financial products and services.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

More Information

Work

You could start as an admin assistant with an organisation and move into a customer service or financial services role through on-the-job training and promotion.

Direct Application

You can apply directly for jobs to become a financial services customer adviser. It will help if you have:

  • GCSEs or equivalent in English and maths
  • computer and keyboard skills
  • experience of customer service, office work or processing payments

Some employers will ask you to complete assessment tasks as part of the recruitment process.

More Information

Career tips

Employers will be interested in your personal qualities and ability to learn.

Experience in sales, retail, hospitality or financial services will be helpful though is not essential for many jobs.

Further information

You can find out more about careers in financial services from Walbrook Institute London.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • customer service skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with others
  • active listening skills
  • the ability to sell products and services
  • maths knowledge
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • administration skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

Most employers will want to do a credit check. They do this to make sure you do not have any outstanding debts which could stop you working in the financial services industry.

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

As a financial services customer adviser, you could:

  • answer customer questions in person, over the phone and online
  • explain financial products and services
  • access customer information and update account records
  • process payments, withdrawals and other transactions
  • promote financial products and services
  • work to targets
  • handle feedback and complaints
  • build good relationships with business clients and investors
  • refer customers to specialist sales staff to sell financial products

Working environment

You could work in an office or in a contact centre.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

With more training and qualifications, you could specialise in particular services like:

  • mortgage advice
  • insurance
  • pensions
  • investments

You could also become a team supervisor, branch manager or train to be a financial adviser.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Customer Service/Administrative Apprentice

  • Wage: £13,741 a year Annually
  • Location: BRIT HOUSE, HIGH STREET EAST, SCUNTHORPE

Customer Service / Administrative Officer Apprenticeship

  • Wage: £13,741 a year Annually
  • Location: 4 Hamburg Road, Hull
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Customer Service

  • Provider: JUNIPER TRAINING LIMITED
  • Start date: Flexible
  • Location: Derby

Certificate in Customer Service

  • Provider: THE GROWTH COMPANY LIMITED
  • Start date: Flexible
  • Location: Manchester
Find courses near you

Jobs In the United Kingdom

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