The Foundational Skills of a Connector Teller
For tellers, the path to career growth often starts with one skill: curiosity. Every transaction — no matter how small — offers a glimpse into a customer’s financial world. Those who listen beyond the surface, ask smart questions, and know when to connect customers with a commercial lender stand out fast to management.
The best commercial referrals aren’t born of sales pitches. They start with a genuine conversation.
1. Notice the Clues for Commercial Lending Referrals
When a teller is fully engaged, even a 10-minute interaction can reveal business insights. Large deposits, withdrawals, or checks from companies are natural conversation starters.
A simple, authentic question such as “Are you working on something exciting right now?” can turn a routine transaction into a meaningful dialogue. Kerry A. Tunnell, VP and Commercial Loan Officer at Ambler Savings Bank, encourages tellers to watch for both visual and verbal clues.
“Sometimes the hardest part for tellers is just starting the conversation,” Tunnell explains. “If someone walks in wearing a branded shirt, just compliment it. Say something like, ‘Hey, I like your logo. What kind of work do you do?’ That one friendly line can open the door to a real discussion about their business.”
Clues such as business checks, company logos, or offhand comments about hiring or expansion often point to an existing or emerging business relationship. When tellers note these signs and document them for follow-up, they create new lending leads — and demonstrate initiative and deeper customer care.
2. Flag Personal Accounts Doing Business Work
Commercial lenders rely on tellers to flag early signs of business activity taking place in personal accounts. As Bryan Morein, Business Banking Relationship Manager at Citadel Credit Union, explains, “We often see people using personal accounts for business purposes, and that can create a lot of problems.”
From tax headaches to missed credit-building opportunities, the risks are real. Many customers don’t realize that mingling business and personal funds limits their access to ACH tools, complicates bookkeeping, and undermines credibility with clients.
Sometimes the clue is right in the memo line of a check. Notations like “power-wash driveway,” “dog,” or “cleaning” can signal someone collecting business payments personally. A teller who spots those hints can guide the conversation with curiosity instead of pressure.
Morein echoes Tunnell’s advice: “Just getting the conversation started is half the battle.” A teller might open gently with, “Wow, that’s a lot of checks — did you have a busy week?” Or, more directly, “Are you running a business through this account?”
If the answer is no — and hesitation suggests uncertainty or fear of formality — the teller can explain that official business accounts simplify recordkeeping and help build credit for future lending opportunities. This transforms a compliance concern into a teaching moment, positioning the teller as a trusted advisor.
If the answer is yes, curiosity again pays off. Asking “How long does it take to organize all these deposits?” opens a dialogue about efficiency. From there, the teller can naturally add, “We actually have business accounts that streamline this process and help automate tracking. Would you like me to connect you with someone who can walk you through it?”
By keeping the tone conversational and problem-solving rather than product-driven, tellers can connect customers with business solutions that truly add value.
3. Be the Generalist, Introduce the Commercial Specialist
The strongest tellers see themselves as connectors. Their job is to spot potential, start the dialogue, and then bring in the expert who can take it further. Customers often appreciate this dynamic — it feels collaborative, not transactional.
Positioning yourself as the generalist and the commercial lender as the product specialist builds credibility on both sides. Your attentiveness earns a customer’s trust, and the warm handoff to a lender reinforces it by showing the depth of your bank’s expertise.
Instead of a scripted transfer, keep the introduction personal: “Our lender, (Barb, Phil, Liam, whatever happens to be the case), works with a lot of local businesses. This is what they do every day, and they have great ideas for owners like you. Would you like me to connect you?”
Referrals like that feel authentic. The customer feels supported, the lender gains a warm lead, and the teller strengthens their standing as someone who connects customers to meaningful solutions.
Building the Path to Your Next Banking Role
Commercial referrals aren’t just about generating leads — they’re about demonstrating awareness, confidence, and empathy. Tellers who take initiative, stay curious, and look beyond the teller window build trust and value that reach far beyond a single transaction. Those same qualities often open the door to the next role in their career.
Additional Reading
For further Banking+ coverage of the professional development of tellers, see the following:
