Teller Skills Customer Service Fundamentals

Webinar Series - T 401 

Teller Skills 

and 

Customer Service 

Fundamentals 

Presented by: Verisure, Inc. 

Moderator: Gregg A. Bennett 

Verisure, Inc 

© Copyright 2006 by Pivotal Financial Resources 

1

Primary Responsibilities 

Teller Duties 

Verisure, Inc 

• Responsible for cash 

• Review accepted 

transactions for 

potential risk 

• Assist compliance 

efforts, like BSA, AML 

• Provide quality 

customer service 

• Follow policies and 

procedures 

• Assist in promoting 

products and services 


2

Essential Qualities 

• People Skills 

– Likes all types of people 

– Good listener & wants to please others 

– Considerate, patient and calm under pressure 

• Organizational Skills 

– Keeps workplace neat and organized 

– Works accurately and quickly with numbers 

• Positive Attitude 

– Upbeat personality and rarely “down” 

– Smiles frequently 

– Leaves problems at home & perks others up 

• Professionalism 

– Practices professional grooming, demeanor & 

appearance. No offensive language used 

– Knowledgeable and accountable for actions 

Verisure, Inc 


3

Rookie Tellers 

Common Reactions 

• Feel Overwhelmed 

• Feel slow, stupid, 

lost and clumsy 

• Avoid questions 

• Experience 

information overload 

• Feel incompetent 

Verisure, Inc 


4

Teller Toolkit 

Verisure, Inc 

• Working Cash 

• Bulk Cash 

• Coin Dispenser 

• Transaction Forms 

• Teller Stamp 

• Bait Money 

• Mutilated Money 

• Keys, Logins 

• Terminal/machine 

• Policies/procedures 


5

Organization 

Verisure, Inc 

• Everything has its place – eliminate clutter! 

• Loose currency/coin easily accessible, top 

drawer, but all grouped by denomination 

• Packaged money stored in lower cabinet or 

in back of drawer 

• Mutilated and bait segregated, but bait can 

be accessed 

• Cash limits monitored and alarms work 

• When away, drawers locked and terminals 

logged-out 


6

Routine is the key 

1. Greeting – always use name where possible 

2. Transaction Type – understand what is being 

requested by the customer or member 

3. Identification – where cash is received or 

paid out, verify ID using bank policy 

4. Obtain Customer data – check systems for 

holds, NSFs, comments, stops, available 

balance & other information 

5. Post transaction – to obtain approval or 

memo post to automated systems 

6. Use Paylist – when receiving or paying cash 

7. Cash Tickets* – make necessary CI/CO or 

batched cashed check and add to totals 

8. Validate items - as required & for audit trail 

9. Issue Cash and/or receipts – give customer 

10. Thank customer – again by name 

*Cash Tickets not used on real-time systems 

Verisure, Inc 


7

Counting Money 

• Separate currency/coin by denomination 

• Face bills face up, same direction 

• Inspect bills for doubles, counterfeit and 

mutilated suspects while arranging 

• Count largest denominations first 

• Count three times, and this will eliminate 

most errors 

• Use a “paylist” on teller machines or 

systems if available as you receive or 

dispense cash 

Verisure, Inc 

Be consistent on your routine! 


8

Counting Methods 

Denomination 

Used when 

counting aloud 

and use the 

bill value for 

the increment 

Ones 

Count the 

number of 

bills and 

multiply total 

count by the 

bill value 

Unit 

Verisure, Inc 

Assign unit 

to each bill, 

and then add 

a 0’s to the 

end. 

$100=10, 

$20=2, $10=1, 

etc 


9

Check Reviews 

Verisure, Inc 

• Is it a real check & properly negotiated? 

• If on-us; is it sufficient, properly dated, 

signed, endorsed and not a stop payment? 

• Is it endorsed properly and the ID verified? 

• Is it payable to a business? – Don’t cash 

those unless specifically authorized (rare) 

• Is it over any cash limits (CTR), require any 

approval or Reg CC delayed availability? 

• Is it related to a deposit with less cash? 

Handle as if cashing – watch for kites, check 

the ID and get the deposit slip signed. 

• Have you documented the ID used and 

validated items as necessary 


10

Causes of Mistakes 

D’oh! 

Verisure, Inc 

• Lack of 

concentration 

• Lack of routine 

• Lack of 

organization 

• Change of pace or 

rushed 

• Not following 

policies and/or 

procedures 

• Taking shortcuts 


11

Balancing Errors 

Verisure, Inc 

• Listing Errors – transaction or balancing 

• Transpositions – look for the “9” rule 

• Entry errors on cash tickets or ticket not 

made on transactions involving cash 

• Errors in transferring cash 

• Counting errors or incorrect listing on the 

daily cash balance sheet 

• Machine entry errors 

• Wrong starting/beginning balance 

• Errors in addition 

• The official balance is the actual cash! 


12

Teller Terminations 

Verisure, Inc 

Main Reasons 


bank policies 


routine procedures 

• Excessive teller 

over/short entries 

• Absenteeism 

• Unprofessional 

• Security violations 


13

Customer Service 

• Primary contact 

point for most 

customers/members 

• Represent the bank 

to customers 

• First line of defense 

against fraud and 

attempted scams 

• Requires people 

skills 

• Requires product 

knowledge 

Verisure, Inc 


14

Servicing Statistics 

• 68%-78% of 

existing clients will 

change due to 

neglect or attitude 

of indifference 

• It costs 3-5 times 

more to attract a 

new customer or 

member over 

keeping existing 

ones 

Verisure, Inc 

• A dissatisfied 

person will tell 10 

or more people 

• A satisfied person 

rarely tells even 1 

person 

• Customers or 

members may not 

tell you when they 

feel they are 

treated as they 

want or expect 


15

Keys for Pleasing 

Verisure, Inc 

• SMILE – nobody wants to deal with a 

sourpuss! This includes the phone. 

• Approach/Greet and welcome the person 

to the bank or for calling for assistance 

• Ask open-ended questions about how you 

may serve them 

• LISTEN and restate what you heard they 

need, want or the problem 

• Respond with the information, a solution 

or the efforts to satisfy the request 

• THANK THEM BY NAME, and follow-up if 

necessary 


16

Difficult Situations 

Verisure, Inc 

• Stay Calm – Adding emotions to the situation will 

only escalate tempers. Talk in a low and soft voice 

• Show Understanding – Listen and empathize 

(Use the feel, felt and found technique) 

• Apologize for the problem – Regardless of the 

fault, show regret that it caused a problem for the 

customer 

• Determine and define the problem – Listen to 

make sure you understand the problem, then restate 

the problem to the customer to confirm you got it 

• Solve the problem – If possible, fix it. If not, 

explain the steps you will need to take and any other 

time or efforts required. Get help if necessary 


17

Resources 

Teller Skills material 

Verisure’s website 

www.verisure.net 

Verisure, Inc 


18

Questions? 

Verisure, Inc 


19

Teller Money Handling and Balancing Tips 

TELLER ORGANIZATION, COUNTING & BALANCING TIPS 

Being organized is critical for any teller to be successful since it will effect the teller’s accuracy 

and speed in handling customer transactions. Organization is vital to both. If you are not organized 

at the counter, you will be slower and more likely to make a mistake. 

The first step to organization is setting up your materials. The basic rule of thumb is to keep the 

things you use most often... receipts, deposit and withdrawal slips, cash-in and cash-out tickets, 

etc... closest to you. That way they are within easy reach when you need them. Brochures, 

envelopes and other infrequently used items can be put further away. 

Before you open your teller window each day it is important to check your supplies and make 

sure the date on your teller stamp is correct. 

Setting Up Your Supplies 

Typical Teller Supplies 

Listed below are several items you will work with each day as a teller. Each is described 

briefly. These may vary from bank to bank, but most use the following supplies. 

Working Cash Loose currency and loose coins used to handle ordinary 

transactions through the day. 

Bulk Cash Packaged currency and rolled coin kept in reserve to handle large 

transactions. 

Coin Dispenser A tray or other device used to hold and dispense loose coin. 

Bank Forms Documents to record transactions for the customer or the bank, 

including receipts, deposit and withdrawal slips, and cash-in and 

cash-out tickets. 

Teller Stamp: Identification stamp used to show which teller handled a given 

transaction. Your teller stamp should be secured in your cash 

drawer whenever you leave your teller station. 

Bait Money Traceable money to be given out in the event of a robbery at your 

window. 

Mutilated Money Coin or currency that is removed from circulation because it is no 

longer usable. 

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Keys Used to obtain your cash supply, to lock your cash drawer at your 

tellers station, to enter secured bank areas or to access locked 

equipment. 

Note: All of these items must be safe-guarded as they are valuable. 

Setting Up Your Cash Drawer 

Because of the large amounts of cash and the number of transactions you handle each day, 

you need to be organized and consistent in the way you arrange the contents of your cash 

drawer. Consistent organization will help you work more efficiently and minimize errors. 

There are many “correct” ways to arrange a cash drawer. Some financial institutions are 

quite specific in their policies... others allow tellers some flexibility to determine what works 

best for them. 

How you arrange your cash drawer may depend upon several factors... what side of the 

drawer you stand on, whether you are left or right-handed, and so on. Below are some 

guidelines to go by: 

o The money you use throughout the day must be easily accessible. Loose currency 

is usually kept in the front of the cash drawer, within easy reach. Loose coin is 

frequently kept in a coin dispenser or in a separate compartment in the cash drawer. 

o Separate bills and coins by denomination. 

o Face bills so that all portraits face up and in the same direction. 

o Arrange denominations by compartment from the highest to the lowest. 

o Keep packaged bills and coin separate from loose currency, m a separate drawer or 

in the back compartments of the cash drawer. 

o Keep mutilated currency and bait money separate from the rest of your working 

cash in your cash drawer. 

By following these general guidelines, you can quickly and accurately pay the coins and 

denominations you need for each transaction. 

Cash limits 

Financial institutions set limits on the total amount of cash in a teller’s cash supply ($10,000 

for example). These cash limits help reduce the security risks of having excess cash on hand 

and make your cash supply more manageable. Cash limits vary from teller to teller and bank 

to bank. Your cash drawer limit will depend on your particular institution’s circumstances and 

your specific responsibilities. 

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Developing Routines to Stay Organized 

Getting things set up properly is half the battle, but keeping them straight is just as important. 

That is why it is necessary to develop good routines. 

Consider this example... have you ever lost your keys and had to search all over the house? If 

you had one place where you routinely put them, like in your purse or on a hook by the door, it 

would not happen. If you followed your routine, you would never lose your keys. 

It works the same way at the teller station. By developing and sticking with routines, you will 

remain more organized and you will make fewer mistakes. For example, if you always pay out 

coin first, you will be less likely to hand out the bills twice. Develop routines and stick with 

them. 

Counting Money 

The ability to count money quickly and accurately is fundamental to your job, whether you’re 

receiving money from customers or paying it out. You must develop a routine for counting 

cash to stay accurate. Always count in the same order, using the same method to stay 

accurate. 

Whether you are counting $25 or $25,000, always; 

1. Separate the currency by denomination. 

2. Face bills so that all portraits face up and in the same direction. 

3. Roll each bill between your fingers to locate any doubles (bills stuck together)... this 

can be done as you arrange the bills. 

4. Count in descending order.., counting the highest denomination first, then the next 

highest denomination, and so on. 

5. Count your cash three times. This will eliminate most counting errors. 

Although these guidelines always apply, the counting system you use may vary depending on 

the amount you’re counting and the type of transaction. There are three commonly used 

counting systems. 

The denomination system. This method is commonly used when counting aloud to 

customers. With the denomination system, you can count and keep a cumulative total of 

all denominations or count and total each denomination separately. 

The ones system. This system is generally used when counting large amounts of cash, 

when packaging currency, or taking in large deposits. Using this system, you count each 

bill in a denomination as a “one” and then multiply the face value of the bills by the total 

number of bills to value the total package. 

The unit system. In this system, a unit value is assigned to each bill according to its 

denomination. For example, a $100 bill would have a unit value of 10, a $20 bill a value 

of 2, a $10 bill a value of 1, and so on. When counting with the unit system, a zero is 

added to the final count to translate the units into dollars. 

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Regardless of which counting system is used, the key to effectively counting cash is to be 

consistent in the procedures you follow, stay alert, and emphasize accuracy over speed. 

COMMON BALANCING ERRORS 

Many tellers approach balancing with anticipation and fear. They are apprehensive that they 

won’t balance at the end of the day... that they will be over or short in cash. 

Balancing shouldn’t be a big deal, however. A teller actually balances with each and every cash 

transaction. If in each cash transaction the teller correctly counts the cash and correctly records 

the Cash-In or Cash-Out transaction, the drawer 

will automatically balance at the end of the day. 

View each cash transaction as a unit. To be assured of balancing, make sure each unit is done 

correctly throughout the day. 

Debit-Credit Principle 

Tellers can get confused if a customer wants to make several cash transactions at once. 

As a teller, however, you can easily make sure the transaction “balances” before the 

customer leaves your window using the debit-credit principle. 

The debit-credit principle is a simple bookkeeping principle used by all financial 

institutions. It states that in order to balance, the debits must equal the credits for each 

transaction. In order to use this principle, you must understand which items are debits 

and which are credits. 

Debits and credits are always identified as follows 

Debits Credits 

Cash-In tickets Cash-Out tickets 

Checks Deposit slips or tickets 

Withdrawal slips or tickets 

Sample Transaction 1: 

Assume, for example, that a customer hands you a deposit slip showing a total deposit 

of $250.00, with $50.00 in cash and a $200.00 check. You verify the cash, prepare a 

cash-in ticket for $50.00, and put the cash in your drawer. 

To balance this transaction, you would use the debit-credit principle by adding the debits 

and credits as follows: 


Cash-In ticket $50.00 Deposit slip $250.00 

Check $200.00 

Total: $250.00 Total: $250.00 

Page - 4


Sample Transaction 2: 

Next, a customer hands you a checking deposit slip with three checks listed, totaling 

$780.00. He has also listed $300.00 in cash back, making his net deposit $480.00. He 

also hands you a savings deposit slip with $200.00 listed for deposit. 

To balance this transaction, you would use the debit-credit principle by adding the debits 

and credits as follows: 


Checks $780.00 Checking deposit slip $480.00 

Savings deposit slip $200.00 

Cash-Out ticket $100.00 

Total: $780.00 Total: $780.00 

Balancing Out 

At the end of each day as a teller, you will be required to “balance out.” This is 

sometimes called “settling “or “proving.” For purposes of this program, we will use the 

term balancing. 

Balancing is simply a way to make sure you can account for all the cash transactions 

you handle throughout the day. From the time you open your cash drawer to the moment 

you close your window, the cash and checks it contains are your responsibility. By 

balancing your drawer each afternoon, you verify how well you have fulfilled that daily 

trust. 

Balancing is based on a simple formula: 

Beginning Cash + Cash Taken In = Ending Cash + Cash Paid Out 

OR 

Beginning Cash + Cash Taken In - Cash Paid Out = Ending Cash 

According to this formula, if you take what is in your cash drawer at the beginning of the 

day, add all of the cash you take in and subtract all the cash you disburse that day, you 

should end up with the amount that Is in your cash drawer when you close it out. That’s 

called being in balance. 

To figure out whether or not you are in balance, every financial institution has its tellers 

follow a balancing procedure. This procedure can vary, depending on the bank where 

you work. At some banks, tellers write their figures on a sheet of paper called a 

balancing worksheet or a teller’s blotter. At others, tellers pull up a computer screen and 

work from it. 

Page - 5


Teller’s Sheet 

In order to help tellers like you organize the balancing process, many financial 

institutions use what is called a teller’s sheet. A sample teller’s sheet is shown for your 

reference. 

All teller’s sheets consist of two parts: 

o A part to record all the cash in the teller’s possession at the end of the day. 

o A part to record all their beginning cash, total records of cash-in and cash-out 

transactions, and ending cash. 

The debit-credit principle is used when balancing on the 

teller’s blotter. On the sample teller sheet, the top is 

where the teller records the closing cash balance by 

denomination. The bottom portionr is where the teller 

lists the beginning cash and the total of all cash taken in 

and cash paid out during the day. 

The totals on the top of the teller’s sheet should equal 

each bottom calculation (meaning the teller is in 

balance). If the two totals do not balance, then the teller 

has either a cash overage or shortage. If the credits are 

more than the debits, the teller has a cash overage. If 

the debits are more than the credits, the teller has a 

cash shortage. (The actual count is the official balance 

for the teller’s cash.) 

The entire balancing process should take you only a few minutes each day... unless 

there’s a balancing problem. Then you may be required to stay late to find the mistake. 

To help you avoid balancing problems, it’s important to understand what causes you to 

make mistakes in the first place. Mistakes can happen at any time. Although some 

situations increase the opportunity for you to make a mistake, it is important to 

remember that there is no single reason tellers make errors. Every transaction requires 

your concentration and organization. 

Page - 6


Common Reasons Tellers Make Errors 

Whether it is a busy day or a slow one, a difficult customer or a pleasant one, mistakes 

can and do happen to both new and experienced tellers. Experts have identified four 

common reasons why tellers make errors: 

o Lack of Concentration 

o Lack of Routine 

o Lack of Organization 

o Change of Pace 

Lack of Concentration 

A lack of concentration is a major reason why tellers make errors. While it is 

important to be pleasant to customers, too much talking can cause you to lose track 

of what you are doing. 

Other factors can also cause you to lose focus, such as when a coworker interrupts 

you or when your thoughts wander briefly from the transaction you are working on. 

To avoid losing concentration: 

o limit the time you chat with customers 

o keep interruptions to a minimum 

o if interrupted, start over 

o focus on each transaction as you perform it 

o if distracted, collect your thoughts and start over 

Concentrating on transactions does NOT mean you can’t be friendly to your 

customers. It’s essential that you greet them pleasantly and treat them with courtesy 

at all times. Your customers expect and deserve that. But they also want you to be 

accurate, and the best way to stay accurate is to avoid chatting when you are 

handling their accounts. Talk to them before and after you perform the transaction, 

but not during. 

Lack of Routine 

Because of the volume, variety and pace of transactions you handle each day as a 

teller, it’s easy to lose track of what you are doing. That’s where routines help. 

Unfortunately, many tellers lack good routines and make mistakes. To avoid this: 

o establish a routine for every transaction you do 

o follow your routine meticulously 

o use the same steps in the same order every time 

For example, always hand out cash at the same point in the transaction. Some 

tellers wait until after they give the customer the receipt. That way they know if they 

haven’t given the customer the receipt, they haven’t given out the cash. By sticking 

to this routine, they avoid giving out cash twice to the same customer. 

Page - 7


Lack of Organization 

As a teller you handle hundreds of bills, coins, checks, and receipts every day. When 

these items aren’t properly organized, it’s easy for errors to occur. To avoid 

organization errors: 

o keep your cash drawer arranged neatly at all times 

o sell excess money back to vault 

o establish specific locations for receipts, checks, etc. 

o put trash in waste can 

o place all loose bills face up and in the same direction before counting 

o verify all cash by counting it three times 

Change of Pace 

Tellers are most likely to stay accurate when they work at a steady, comfortable 

pace. When there are fewer customers than usual, tellers aren’t able to keep a 

constant rhythm. And the break in rhythm can cause them to make errors. Likewise, 

when lines of customers form, tellers are tempted to increase their pace, which also 

disrupts their rhythm. 

To avoid mistakes when the pace changes: 

o stay focused on every transaction 

o stick to your routine 

o avoid chatting longer with customers when you’re not busy 

Common Balancing Errors 

As we discussed earlier, the easiest way to stay in balance is to avoid making any mistakes in 

the first place. But mistakes do happen from time to time... to every teller. Even the most 

careful and accurate tellers occasionally make errors and find themselves out of balance. 

Keep in mind that you handle hundreds of transactions each day... an occasional mistake is 

bound to happen. And once you’ve made a mistake, the faster you can figure out what you’ve 

done, the sooner you’ll be able to balance your drawer. 

There are many reasons why tellers don’t balance. Five of the most common errors include: 

• Listing errors 

• Errors in recording cash-ins or cash-outs 

• Errors in transferring cash 

• Counting errors 

• Machine entry errors 

Listing Errors 

These are mistakes in the way numbers are written or entered on the teller 

terminal or when completing cash-in or cash-out tickets. Listing errors account for 

most of the errors made in balancing. They include illegible numbers, misplaced 

digits or decimal points, and transposition errors (reversing the order in which 

numbers are listed). 

Page - 8


Illegible numbers. This type of error is usually indicated when the difference is 

1, 10, 100; 2,20,200; 3,30,300; or 5,50, and 500. 

Misplaced digits or decimal points. Look for cash-in or cash-out tickets for 

unusually high or low amounts, such as a cash-in for $1.20 instead of $120.00... 

or $10,000.00 that should have been $100.00. Also look for odd differences, 

such as $64.80 (entering $7.20 instead of $72.00) 

Transpositions. With this type of error, the difference is ALWAYS evenly divided 

by 9. For example, if $763.00 was entered as $736.00 the difference would be 

$27.00 (9 times 3). A transposition is a number whose digits have been reversed. 

The real amount was $63.00. The amount recorded was $36.00. The difference 

is $27.00. Transposition errors can be spotted by dividing your differences by 9. 

If your difference is evenly divisible by 9, and the digits add up to 9, chances are 

you transposed a number somewhere. For example, if you punched 361 instead 

of 316, the difference would be 45. 4+5 = 9 indicates that the digits were 

punched in the wrong order. If your differences are any of the following numbers, 

you may have transposed the digits listed below. 

TRANSPOSITION DIFFERENCES 

9 18 27 34 45 54 63 72 81 

10-01 20-02 30-03 40-04 50-05 60-06 70-07 80-08 90-09 

21-12 31-13 41-14 51-15 61-16 71-17 81-18 91-19 

32-33 42-24 52-25 62-26 72-27 82-28 

43-34 53-35 63-36 73-37 83-38 93-39 

54-45 64-46 74-47 84-48 94-49 

65-56 75-57 85-58 95-59 

76-67 86-68 96-69 

87-78 97-79 

98-89 

92-29 

For example, if your difference is 45, look through your transactions to see if 

you may have listed a 5 as a 50, or a 61 as a 16, or a 27 as a 72, etc. If your 

difference was 450, look through your transactions to see if you listed a 720 

as a 270, etc. 

Errors in Recording Cash-Ins or Cash-Outs 

These mistakes involve recording cash-ins as cash-outs (and vice versa) or 

completely forgetting to record a cash-in or a cash-out slip. In the case of a 

reversed entry, the difference is ALWAYS twice the amount of the transaction. 

For example, if a $100.00 cash-rn was recorded as a $100.00 cash-out, your 

drawer would be over by $200.00. 

When a cash-in or cash-out is not recorded, the difference is equal to the amount 

of the transaction. For example, if the $100.00 cash-in was never recorded, your 

teller drawer would be over $100.00. 

Page - 9


Errors in Transferring Cash 

These mistakes occur when you transfer money into or out of your teller drawer 

to the vault or head teller. Errors here include forgetting to fill out the appropriate 

debit or credit slip, fifing out the wrong slip, and miscounting the money 

transferred. These errors are usually easy to find because both parties will be off 

by the same amount. For example, if you “sell” $5,000 to the vault during the day 

and forget to record the transaction, your drawer will be short $5,000 and the 

vault will be over $5,000. 

Counting Errors 

These errors occur when cash is miscounted or packaged incorrectly. This can 

happen when you are counting your ending cash, during a customer transaction, 

or when packaging currency during the day. This type of error can be difficult to 

identify because there is no specific amount or calculation that will tell you a 

counting error was made. 

Recounting your ending cash and any cash you packaged during the day may 

uncover your mistake. To avoid mistakes, ask your supervisor to show you how 

to use your teller machine to verify your count for each transaction. 

Machine Entry Errors 

Improperly using your teller terminal or adding machine can also result in a 

balancing problem. You can make this error by typing in the wrong number, 

hitting the totals key too soon or failing to clear out previous transactions. The 

best way to find this type of mistake is to meticulously go over your teller or 

adding machine tape to identify errors. Again, there is no specific formula here.., 

just carefully examine each entry for errors. 

Finding Balancing Errors 

Some of these errors are easy to identify... others require a little work. When you don’t 

balance and the reason isn’t obvious, try these steps: 

o Add up your blotter totals again (see if you simply made a mistake in 

addition). 

o If that doesn’t help, determine the amount you’re off 

o If the difference is evenly divisible by nine, you may have misplaced a 

decimal point or transposed a number. 

o If the difference is evenly divisible by two, you may have run a cash-in as a 

cash-out or vice versa. 

o Recount your cash (make sure there are no loose coins in your work area). It 

should be obvious, but if you are off by less than $1, don’t bother recounting 

your currency. 

o Double check to make sure you recorded any fees collected and any cash 

bought from or sold to the vault. 

o Look under your drawer, on the floor and in the trash (more than one teller 

has accidentally thrown away a cash-in ticket or other important document). 

Page - 10


Other Suggestions: 

o Check with your proof department. This department proofs all the items 

handled by you during the day. Often they will find your difference before you 

even know you’re out of balance. They may have found an error which affects 

your cash-in and cash-out totals. 

o Check your teller tape to make sure your teller machine was cleared at the 

beginning of the day and after each calculation. If the machine was not 

cleared, other amounts may have been included in your totals... or included 

twice. 

o Check with any other teller or department you had dealings with during the 

day. If they are over by the amount you are short, or short by the amount you 

are over, you may have made a mistake in documenting a transaction 

between you and them. 

o Finally, take some time to mentally reconstruct what happened during the 

day. Were there any difficult transactions? Any you rushed through? Any you 

chatted through? By retracing the day, tellers can often narrow down the list 

of transactions that may have caused the mistake. 

By staying organized and concentrating on each transaction as you perform it, you’ll be 

able to prevent most mistakes from ever happening. But if you find yourself out of 

balance when you close out your drawer, stay calm and use the techniques discussed in 

this section. Chances are you’ll be able to correct your mistake quickly and feel good 

about the job you’ve done as a bank teller. 

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Teller Skills Customer Service Fundamentals

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