We often hear that community financial institutions are seeking to attract more core deposits and increase non-interest fee income. A strong Treasury Management infrastructure, which includes the team, support, and suite of services, is the key. However, without the right Treasury Management Sales Officer (TMSO or “TMO”), your institution will be at a disadvantage. My goal is to help you arrive at a “win-win” solution. Your institution can increase its core deposits and fee income, while your TM customers are consistently serviced with top-notch support.
In this blog, I’ll share the 6 traits of a Treasury Management Officer. Let’s start by exploring the essential personality traits of the most successful TMOs.
To succeed in this role, your TMO must possess the following six traits:
Sales driven.
One challenge that many institutions face is having business bankers (their sales team) who aren’t natural salespeople. Some lack sales skills or even avoid using the word “selling.” They’re rarely considered “rainmakers” and often prefer to stay in the branch, waiting for business to come to them. This mindset doesn’t work for a TMO. You need to recognize and nurture true sales talent – and then compensate those individuals appropriately. The TMO role is fundamentally a sales role, just as important as the business banker position.
Customer focused.
Your TMO’s number one concern should always be helping business customers increase efficiency in their daily cash management operations, safely. This means understanding their needs and matching them with your institution’s TM services and solutions.
Strong understanding of business.
To connect with business customers, your TMOs need a solid business background. This helps them relate to your customer’s operations and challenges and makes them more relatable and effective in building trust.
Entrepreneurial spirit.
As a successful TMO, they’ll approach challenges with creativity and an entrepreneurial mindset. They’ll look for innovative ways to solve customer problems, leveraging technology to create efficiencies and optimize cash positions. Being open to new ideas is a must.
Connected with the community.
Building a strong network of business owners is essential. Successful TMOs get involved in your community, and don’t hesitate to ask for their banking business. Having a reliable infrastructure behind them gives them the confidence to make these asks.
Excellent communicators.
TMOs are the “central station” during the prospecting and onboarding process. Clear and timely communication with customers, business bankers, branch personnel, and TM support teams is non-negotiable. Poor communication or follow-through can ruin the customer experience.
By focusing on these 6 traits of a Treasury Management Officer, you can find highly effective TMOs and add valuable assets to your institution.
Looking to strengthen or create your Treasury Management department? As always, we’re here to help.
