Change can be difficult even when the move makes life better. It can even be more stressful when it involves your finances and banking decisions.
TD Bank understands that feeling and strives to always be available to help new customers to understand how everything works. That is why the bank created the New Account Concierge team dedicated to helping this special group of customers in their first 60 days to answer the questions they may have.
The team was first created in June 2021 when the Covid-19 pandemic impacted accessibility to stores for many customers. It was so successful that the team continued its work after the pandemic as more customers were comfortable opening new accounts and banking online.
Today, it is a team based throughout TD's footprint of representatives, two managers and support staff, most of whom have extensive experience working in TD Bank stores before coming to this specialized team.
The team has expertise in the types of questions new customers often have and how to find the best answers for their specific situations, according to Tyler Millett, TD Bank Contact Center Senior Group Manager, New Account Opening, based in Maine.
"This team was formed because historically many new customers would call in numerous times with questions about their account," Tyler said. "It enables us to clarify any concerns and provide information to best educate our customers about accounts and services that meet their specific financial needs. In doing so we are providing a warm welcome to the TD family, where we hope to keep them for many years to come."
“In the U.S. Contact Centers, we are highly focused on providing the best experiences for our customers,” said Jay Martin, Head of U.S. Contact Centers. “This team has seen great success in the last few years having a dedicated group to service our newest customers. By offering a personalized experience from the start of their financial journey with TD, we can better understand customer needs and, therefore, better assist them.”
Ongoing training is key for the concierge team
When a new customer calls the customer help line, they are automatically identified as new customers, so they are seamlessly routed to the concierge team for service if they call Monday to Friday 8 am until 8 pm.
Team members have ongoing training to make sure they are always updated on new products and other related topics so that they can best help the new customers. They also continually work on skills, such as how to deescalate tense situations that occasionally occur.
"Another big difference is that often customers call in a rush when they don't have much time," Tyler said. "When they go to a store, they know it will take time to sit down with someone. We do our best to maximize the time they have on the phone with us and ensure we are providing the highest level of service to every customer."
Tyler noted the most common questions involve topics such as TD's policies on availability of funds when depositing checks. He noted that the experience speaking with someone over the phone compared with meeting in person is different in that it's easier for customers to vent. That is why the team is particularly focused on learning the most effective ways to resolve issues while providing guidance on how to avoid any irritants in the future.
"At the end of the day, it is the TD Culture," Tyler said. "We all fall under that umbrella with a customer first mentality. Customers are our number one priority, and we are committed to doing everything we can to ensure they have an exceptional experience at TD. We want every customer that banks with TD to know that we are helping them achieve their financial goals."