Interview with Kaneko Rino
We spoke with Kaneko Rino, a young employee at Tamashima Shinkin Bank.
New employee training teaches “how to engage with customers in a way unique to Tamashima Shinkin Bank”
You entered the financial industry as a new graduate, and I imagine there was a lot to learn at first. What kind of training did you receive right after joining the bank?
Kaneko (surname only)
During the first three months of training, I learned about Tamashima Shinkin Bank’s management philosophy and history, its initiatives to energize the community, and the mindset behind them. New employees also took turns managing the bank’s official Instagram account.
One thing we learned in training was the importance of listening from the other person’s perspective when speaking with customers.
In a training session on preparing business plans, an employee who actually handles startup support advised us: “Interview customers thoroughly enough that you can explain their business on their behalf. Support them as if you were taking part in their business.”
I think it was training that taught us not just to help prepare documents, but also to approach customers with empathy.
So much of the initial training focused on how to engage with customers. Did you also receive training on practical work?
Kaneko
I learned practical tasks, such as using a computer and assisting customers, directly from senior colleagues after being assigned to a branch.
Everyone at the Hachioji Branch, where I was assigned, is kind, and it’s an environment where I can ask for help right away when I’m in trouble, so I’ve felt comfortable working there since my assignment.
I find it easy to ask for advice not only within the branch, but also from people at the head office.
Do you often work with the head office?
Kaneko
Yes. The head office has people who are professionals in financial matters, and they support each branch.
When a case is difficult for me to handle on my own as a new employee, someone from the head office will quickly come to the branch and help the customer with us. They explain everything from start to finish, and I can learn firsthand how to advise customers, so the support system at the head office is truly reassuring.
Working alongside customers to solve their challenges as a team
Was there a gap between your expectations before joining and the reality afterward?
Kaneko
Because it’s a job that involves handling money, before joining I honestly imagined it would be old-fashioned, rigid, and strict.
I thought, “I wonder if the atmosphere will always be formal when talking with customers…” But when I accompanied a senior colleague, I was surprised by how friendly they were with customers. Of course, there are times when they speak seriously, but I was struck by how casually they chatted, too.
I often felt warmth in the relationships with customers and in the workplace atmosphere, so the difference from my expectations was a pleasant one.
When do you feel a sense of fulfillment in your work?
Kaneko
The greatest fulfillment comes when I’ve resolved a customer’s concern and feel that I’ve been able to help.
On one visit, a customer was holding a passbook and muttered to themselves, “What should I do with this…?” Seeing that, I somehow thought they might be worried about their assets.
Afterward, I immediately consulted the branch manager, coordinated with the head office, and provided information about inheritance together with a specialist employee knowledgeable about assets. The head office responded very quickly, and I remember being impressed.
I felt that this experience helped deepen the customer’s trust in us even further.
I’m truly happy when customers place their trust in me, so I want to approach every consultation with care.
As a new employee, putting the desire to support customers first
What do you keep in mind when interacting with customers?
Kaneko
What I value is listening.
There are still areas where my knowledge is limited, but I’m honest with customers when I don’t know something, and try to speak with them without forgetting to remain humble.
My senior colleagues have also taught me to “keep the urge to sell to a minimum.” Simply going out to make sales won’t build a relationship of trust with customers, so I make supporting them my first priority.
I hear that you’re now in your second year and doing more field visits. Is there anything you find difficult?
Kaneko
I find it challenging to build relationships from scratch with customers handed over to me by senior colleagues. Some customers have said, “Oh, you’re a new employee?” and I also felt pressure when taking over customers who had been close to the previous representative.
You’d want to maintain the relationships of trust your senior colleagues have built. How are you trying to overcome that challenge?
Kaneko
To put customers at ease, I explain my role by saying, “I’m an intermediary connecting the shinkin bank and its customers.” Since I still have limited experience, I’ve decided to focus on listening so I can bring customers’ concerns back to the branch accurately.
I also ask senior colleagues about each customer, such as “What kinds of things did you talk about with that customer?” and “What kind of communication do they prefer?” Someday, I hope to become someone customers trust as much as they trust my senior colleagues.
Aiming to be a trusted partner in the community
As you work at a shinkin bank rooted in Kurashiki, have you become aware of any challenges facing the community?
Kaneko
I think every customer has their own concerns, but if I had to name the community issue I feel closest to right now, it would be specialized fraud.
There have been customers who came to the counter and were just one step away from falling victim to a bank transfer scam. I’ve also heard about a suspicious person visiting a customer’s home when another employee went there. I can feel that specialized fraud is increasing in Kurashiki, too.
“Specialized fraud” is a term we often hear on TV and elsewhere, but I didn’t realize it was so widespread and close to home. What measures does Tamashima Shinkin Bank take?
Kaneko
We work with the police to distribute crime-prevention stickers, provide crime-prevention telephone recording devices free of charge to help prevent suspicious calls, and focus on raising awareness about specialized fraud.
During the year-end and New Year holidays, we’ve also handed out pocket tissues at the ATM area in AEON MALL Kurashiki, reminding people, “Scams are on the rise, so please be careful.”
We also talk with customers and check whether a transaction might be related to specialized fraud when they make a large transaction at the counter. Of course, not every case is fraud, but I think the counter is also the “last line of defense,” so I want to stay vigilant to protect our customers’ valuable assets.
What are your goals for the future?
Kaneko
I want to continue building my knowledge and experience so that customers will say, “I’m glad I came to Kaneko”! I hope to become a community partner people can consult about anything.
Do you have a message for young people your age?
Kaneko
Compared with my senior colleagues, there may be limits to what I can do as a new employee.
But I believe there are things I can do precisely because I’m new, as well as a fresh perspective I can bring.
Believe in your potential, and let’s keep working hard together!
From the Writer
While interviewing Kaneko, I could clearly sense that she simply loves talking with people.
She likely has many opportunities at work to speak with experienced people such as business owners, and I was struck by how happily she said, “I enjoy listening to people with so much knowledge.”
Kaneko’s positive communication style is extremely important for building relationships of trust. Through this interview, I felt I caught a glimpse of the attitude of the employees who work at Tamashima Shinkin Bank.
I’ll continue cheering on Kaneko as she works to energize the city of Kurashiki.
Stories of Kurashiki Work Woven by Young People: Back Issues
Tamashima Shinkin Bank Information
| Organization Name | Tamashima Shinkin Bank |
|---|---|
| Industry | Deposits, loans, domestic exchange, foreign exchange (agency services for Shinkin Central Bank), agency services, foreign currency exchange, counter sales of government bonds, investment trusts, life insurance, and non-life insurance, etc. |
| Representative | Takuwa Hirohiko |
| Year Established | 1914 |
| Address | 1438 Tamashima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-526-1351 (main) |
| Website | Tamashima Shinkin Bank Website |
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