“Here you are dealing with people face-to-face. You won’t be pushed aside and treated like a number”
When you’re dealing with Customer Experience Leader Sophie Ewins at Bank of us Devonport, you may not immediately twig that she has her loader and forklift tickets from days spent as a heavy machinery operator.
It’s one of a number of interesting roles, which also includes managing a food franchise in her teens and working in a busy process role at Tasmania’s only polypipe manufacturer, supplying key sectors such as agriculture and aquaculture.
“I just like to get my head around things and I am always curious about why and how things work,” Sophie says.
“Then I got referred to Bank of us as by a friend, completed an interview and was offered a role in the Wynyard store as a consultant.”
The 15 months since has been a learning curve, but one that Sophie has relished. It’s also been a period in which she has shone, recently appointed the leadership role in the Devonport store.
“It’s all about the people,” she says. “I have customers from my days at Wynyard who I’m still in contact with. They check in to see how you are going.
“One of the things I love is when you are setting people up as a customer at the Bank. They often have goals, like saving for a car or a house deposit. Then you see it come full circle and they achieve that goal.
“Or sometimes you are dealing with people when they are at their most vulnerable.
“Here you are dealing with people face-to-face; you don’t have to have an appointment. Here you won’t be pushed to one side and treated like a number.”
“When we look for candidates, we’re looking for the right values and the right ‘fit’"
Bank of us Chief Customer and People Officer Jill Jetson-Shumbusho said Sophie embodied the organisation’s team culture, which was to put people at the heart of banking.
“When we look for candidates, we’re looking for the right values and the right ‘fit’,” Jill said.
“We believe if you find good people you can provide them the skills they need to succeed in our organisation.
“The number one thing for us is an appreciation for people – both our customers and the team members you work alongside.”
Jill said the goal of the Bank was to continue to improve its digital offering while providing highly personalised service face-to-face, on the phone or by email.
She said it was a source of pride that the current average wait time to talk to someone at Bank of us was running at under 50 seconds.
