Experiences at Advance America

The rapport that I had with my customers' and my employees'.

Most of the time the biggest problem was irrate customers. But, most of the time they would leave my office satisfied.

Having the customer base that I had. Also maintaining it every month to keep within our companies budget. But at the same time strive for new accounts.

My main position was the manager of the branch. I made weekly schedules, monthly audits, daily drawer balancing and keeping my store as a level one.

You had to be very trustworthy,kind and eager to fill every customers' needs.

You have to be driven to do your best, be the best,and expect the best from your team. Within the region of North Carolina, you had to operate as a team. I always felt that because I managed one of the larger, more profitable divisions, it was paramount that my team and I pull our weight.

Good communication skills are also critical to be hired because you needed to relate different types of people inside and outside of the company. Clientele were from every walk of life: nurses, fast-food workers, professors, plumbers, SSI recipients, engineers. Most customers were wonderful, there are always those that test your patience. But all were required to receive to same exceptional level of service, so it was important to have a demonstrated ability to communicate well. Internally, you have to work closely with staff from the various departments at corporate: operations, legal, accounting, loss prevention. It also was not uncommon for the Regional Directors, CCO, CFO, and President to visit branch locations. So the ability to communicate with all levels of individuals was important.

Flexibility was also key. As one of the first hires, I witnessed how fast the company grew and with growth came change. To be in management, you had to be willing to set new goals and enforce new standards as corporate objectives changed. You also had to be willing to take risks, be accountable, and take responsibility for your failures as well as your victories. Although, we had far more victories than failures.

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The best three things about working there were it's close to home, the hours, and the people.

Entered new clients into computer, took payments for loans, counted safe at opening and close.

career advancement opportunities, work environment, and daily interaction with a diverse group of customers.

Denying a customer who was in need of help.