How S’porean, 57, went from petrol kiosk cashier to OCBC customer service manager & stayed for 36 years

When it comes to dealing with difficult customers, Alice Tan is able to de-escalate any tense situation.

That might not come as a surprise, considering how the 57-year-old customer service manager at OCBC has close to 40 years of customer service experience under her belt.

While customer service is not easy, Tan sees it as helping people, and admitted that she still gets a buzz whenever she resolves an issue for a customer.

What decades of interacting with customers has taught Tan is that they usually aren’t difficult for no reason.

“They are there at the bank because they have a problem and need help. Who wants to waste their time coming to the bank and make a big fuss [over nothing], right?”

Formerly a petrol kiosk cashier, Tan desired a career that would allow her to grow. At 21, she decided to make the switch and joined the bank as a teller.

Working in OCBC ignited a fire in Tan to climb the corporate ladder and one day become manager.

“It was a good move,” she acknowledged.

Tan has since achieved that goal and more, working at several of OCBC’s branches across the island as customer service manager, as well as at the bank’s headquarters.

Customer service, in particular, was where Tan found her groove.

“I felt that my passion is in facing customers at the branch,” said Tan, who says the job is a perfect combination of what she’s good at and what she enjoys doing.

The bonus? “I get to earn an income.”

While she has seen her fair share of both nasty and nice customers, it’s the latter that have made the most impact emotionally.

Tan recounts a recent incident where she took more than an hour to address a female customer’s query. During the customer’s next visit, she brought her mother and requested for Tan’s help.

Again, Tan patiently sat with the pair for another two hours to answer all their questions.

Filled with gratitude, the customer turned up at Tan’s branch a couple of days later to gift Tan some of her mother’s homemade Chinese dessert.

“Her mother had cooked the dessert especially for me as a thank you,” Tan shared with a smile, fondly reminiscing how that made her day.

She recounted another instance where one customer, a foreigner, expressed high praise for Singapore’s service standards after a visit to the OCBC branch.

“He is extremely well-travelled and told me that Singapore has the best customer service,” said Tan with notable pride in her voice.

Added the ever-consummate customer service professional: “I’ve always felt that it is our duty as Singaporeans [to represent the country in the best way]. It has to start from someone, so why not me?”

Having a service mindset also means going the extra mile.

There was an incident where a customer discovered that her daughter had filled up her university student loan application form incorrectly. However, the deadline for submission was the next day.

Without hesitation, Tan rushed down to the university administrative office to get the corrected documents approved before personally handing the form over to the bank’s loan department.

Pro tip: Write it all down

One tip she offers to younger staff at the bank on how to placate an angry customer, is to take a notebook and pen and pen down all the customer’s concerns.

If the issue requires a response from the bank, giving the customer a follow-up call, no matter the outcome, is a must.

She explains: “By taking a notebook and a pen, they know that I’m sincere and I’m there to listen. I’ll note down everything and from there, I’ll know where the gap is and I can address it.”

Taking up a banking and finance diploma in her 40s

Tan, who believes in the adage “it’s never too old to learn”, feels seniors should continue to pursue activities they enjoy, and not let their age deter them.

In 2007, she took up a part-time diploma course in banking and finance sponsored by OCBC. It proved to be one of the most taxing periods in her career.

One of the reasons why Tan decided to take up the challenge of working and studying simultaneously was because she wanted to upskill and improve her knowledge.

She recalled working a full shift at the branch before going for evening classes which ended at 10pm, twice a week.

“It was tiring but you just have to tell yourself that you can do it. I told myself that I can’t give up,” said Tan, who was in her 40s then.

And she doesn’t intend to stop there.

She does not rule out the possibility of pursuing another degree in the future.

Leading by example

Unlike many work-weary souls, Tan proclaims never to dread heading into the office.

“I’m very happy to go to work because I feel I’m there to share my experience,” said Tan, who describes herself as a strict yet understanding supervisor.

“I always remind them that they are dealing with people’s money, so they have to be very, very careful.”

She added that she finds guidance at work important, and intentionally shares with her staff about how they can better address the customer’s problem and improve their service standards.

Her inspiring story of how she rose through the ranks from a clerk armed with an O-level certificate to Vice President (she just received her promotion earlier this year), is one that she often shares with her younger colleagues, citing the progression structure and opportunities available at the bank while she’s at it.

Customer service can be challenging. However, in Tan’s words, “there are so many areas for [one] to learn in this field” and that is why she has stayed on for 36 years.

This is a sponsored article by OCBC.

Top images via Alice Tan and OCBC