What are the various responsibilities of a bank probationary officer?

Is becoming Bank PO the right career choice? This is a question that we get asked when people begin considering becoming bank probationary officers. While undoubtedly the bank po salary is lucrative enough to attract anyone, the answer to whether it is the right career choice for you depends on many factors. Some of these factors include your individual career goals, your personality and what type of job you would like to do after completing your course. The following is a brief explanation of some requirements that banks usually need from probationary officers.

1. Good Customer Service

As a bank PO, you will be expected to ensure your bank branch provides excellent customer service to your clients. You will be expected to answer all questions, resolve issues quickly and professionally, identify problems and solve them with understanding and empathy.

2. Ensure Good Business

The Bank Probationary Officer is responsible for introducing new business opportunities for the bank which may be beneficial for both customers and the bank itself. It involves identifying customer needs and requirements in order to provide them with products or services which will meet their requirements effectively and efficiently. The Bank Probationary Officer also ensure that such activities do not create an adverse impact on other activities of the bank or create any conflict with existing policies or procedures.

3. Cash management

The Bank Probationary Officer should be in charge of handling the cash as well as keeping a record of all receipts and payments. He/She should also be responsible for maintaining the cash balance at all times so that any discrepancies can be noticed immediately.

4. Payment Clearances

The bank probation officer should be involved in the process of clearing payments, both by issuing payment instructions and ensuring that they are processed on time. He/She should also ensure that all payments are made to the right person and department, so that there is no confusion regarding who should receive what amount at which time.

5. Reports and Verifications

The bank probation officer shall verify the reports of the previous year and prepare a report for the new year, which is signed by him/herself and countersigned by the manager. The report shall contain summary information about the bank's operations and financial situation, including cash flow analysis, balance sheet analysis, profit/loss statement analysis, etc., as well as an overall evaluation of the performance of each function. Additionally, The bank probation officer will be responsible for undertaking a thorough check of the reports received from banks and other financial institutions on the creditworthiness of customers. He will also ensure that all such reports are properly processed, collated, analysed and acted upon in accordance with the instructions issued by their superiors. Moreover, he will make sure that there is no mismatch or discrepancy between what has been reported by different banks/institutions and what actually happens with regard to various customers.

6. Official Communication with Customers

The bank probation officer will also be responsible for ensuring that all official communication from banks should reach customers in a timely manner. This includes notifying them about any change in the account balance or any other information which might affect them as well as informing them about any change in terms & conditions or charges for banking services etc. For instance, if there is any change in the bank statement application format, it is the responsibility of the bank po that all the customers get notified in advance.