Financial services customer adviser

This occupation is found in financial services organisations including banks, building societies and insurance firms including life insurers. These may range from large multi-national banks to smaller independent financial services organisations. A Financial Services Customer Adviser (FSCA) uses their technical knowledge of financial services and products to support customers. They work as part of a team whether in a branch, through the internet, social media or operations centres that support other areas of financial services. The broad purpose of the occupation is to provide financial information across a wide range of financial products, supporting customers with various financial requirements. In their daily work, an FSCA interacts with a range of internal and external stakeholders and customers. This could include individual and business customers, colleagues in other teams, colleagues working within specialist areas, and with partner organisations. An FSCA will be responsible for ensuring all activities they undertake meet legal, regulatory and organisational standards. This may include aspects of due diligence when providing products and services such as fraud prevention, Anti-Money Laundering and other financial conduct regulatory regimes. An FSCA may work across a range of financial products and services. This could include core financial products such as current accounts and savings accounts in banks, building societies and other financial services organisations. They may support particular insurance products such as buildings, contents or vehicle products. They may work in life assurance or insurance. They advise customers and p rovide the right financial products and services. They use communication skills to r espond to customers who contact the organisation by telephone, email, through a digital channel or face to face. They identify and meet customer needs and resolve problems for customers, other colleagues and their team. When communicating complex financial information face to face or virtually with customers they articulate concepts in readily understandable and accessible language. They may deal with vulnerable customers or those under stress and so they must be empathetic and responsive. They r esolve or escalate difficult and sensitive financial issues by w orking with other areas of the organisation to meet customer needs, r eferring the customer to more specialist advisers as necessary. An FSCA provides exceptional customer service whilst dealing with more complex issues and handling customer concerns, remaining calm and professional at all times. They apply principles of equity, diversity and inclusion when helping customers to ensure that they receive a bespoke service for their needs. A key aspect of the occupation is promoting new digital services to encourage customers to use these channels. This requires FSCAs to understand and keep up to date with digital platforms and their use and communicate this in accessible language. FSCAs devote time to continued professional development (CPD) and may work towards gaining relevant professional qualifications as appropriate to their employment.