What Does a Commercial Banker Do?

A career as a commercial banker is a good fit for people with interpersonal skills and a knack for handling money. Most positions in this field involve managing a bank branch and providing leadership to personnel. While the exact responsibilities of a commercial banker can differ depending upon the bank, there are five common job duties. These include approving or denying loans, acquiring new customers, coordinating different bank departments, supervising staff members and assisting with customer service.

Approving or denying loans is often a primary duty of a commercial banker. When an applicant is seeking financial backing for an investment, such as a home or car, it's usually the commercial banker who oversees the process. This practice typically involves meeting with an applicant, going over an investment idea and checking credit history. If the loan sounds financially feasible, he will usually approve the loan and fill out the necessary paperwork. Otherwise, the applicant's loan will be rejected.

Another integral aspect of this position is consistently acquiring new customers for a bank's branch. For a bank to thrive and stay competitive, it's necessary to establish a solid customer base. Consequently, a commercial banker is often the one responsible for finding profitable customers capable of accruing interest. To be effective at his job, it helps for a commercial banker to have sound communication skills and an approachable demeanor.

Coordinating different bank departments is also a duty that ensures that a bank operates efficiently. For example, a commercial banker might act as liaison between tellers, accountants and customer service representatives. This may include holding one-on-one conversations or group meetings to discuss important issues. Performing this liaison role can establish open communication and help to keep different departments on the same page.

A commercial banker will usually supervise a designated number of staff members as well. He may monitor tellers to ensure that financial transactions and customer service are handled correctly. In addition, he may check the calculations of accountants for accuracy. Consequently, this position requires a person with solid leadership skills and the ability to oversee multiple areas of a bank.

An additional duty involves assisting with customer service at certain times. This could include dealing with escalated customer complaints, training new employees or answering complex questions that other personnel are incapable of handling. Also, if a bank were to experience a very busy period, a commercial banker would help out in various departments. To be effective in this area, he must be adaptable and able to improvise when necessary.