Bank officer's efforts to reskill earn her award

Bank officer Lena Yuan is able to "share" her computer screen remotely with a customer who needs help with his banking issues.

In this way, she can guide the customer step by step through any procedure.

The digital tool at her disposal was not part of the 55-year-old's skill set a year ago, when her main job was to answer calls and respond to requests as they came in. But a training programme that her employer Citibank Singapore set up in August last year helped her pick up new skills including design thinking, business writing and customer journey mapping.

Her positive attitude towards learning landed her an Outstanding Financial Services Professional Award yesterday from the Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore. She had successfully moved into a new or transformed role after expanding her skill set.

She was afraid she would not learn as quickly as she'd hoped when she started the Professional Conversion Programme. "As with learning anything new, there was always a certain element of uncertainty," Ms Yuan said. But she felt that it was important for her career that she gave it a shot.

"It was not that difficult after all," she said, adding that her colleagues and managers had helped in her learning journey.

Ms Yuan, who also received the bank's top award for employees last year, said she found deeper job satisfaction after expanding her skills. "I often use our co-browse function, with customers' permission, to see exactly what they are seeing on their screens without them having to describe every detail, and guide them through any issues they may be facing with their banking needs."

She said she can suggest quicker and more effective solutions to address customers' needs on different platforms, including a Web chat function that the bank has. "All I needed (to pick up the skills) was a positive mindset and the support from my colleagues and managers."