Good Banking Etiquette

We all know how it goes. You wait in line for five minutes to be greeted by a grumpy teller who is all business and obviously doesn't care if you're John or Account Number 239864, it's all the same to him/her. While spending all day punching buttons on a computer and counting money doesn't seem like a very high stress job, just like any job where you deal with the public non-stop all day long, it's often a stressful and thankless job. There are many simple things you can do as a customer to make those lines move faster, your transaction go smoother, and create a more pleasant transaction for both you and your teller.

1) Most importantly, be ready when you get to the teller.
The first part of being ready is having your transaction slip ready and your check written out if you're writing a check. If you know you're depositing your paycheck, fill out a deposit slip before you even get in line. If you know you're paying on your car loan with a check from another financial, write it out before you get in line. Try to figure out what you want to do BEFORE you're standing in front of the teller. It's fine if you need to know the balance of your account before you decide what exactly to do, but chances are, you know the basics. If you're depositing at least part of your paycheck, start a deposit slip. If you're withdrawing or transferring money, start a deposit slip. Even if it's something as basic as writing your name and account number on the slip and nothing else, this is such a time saver. Too many people walk or drive up to the teller and sit there going "Um, uh, I have this paycheck. Not really sure what I want to do with it...." and that is the biggest cause of lines. If you don't know what you want to do yet, don't get in line just HOPING you'll figure it out before it's your turn. And at the very least, have your transaction slip partly filled out so at least the teller can look you up while you're thinking.