| Feb 25, 2010


Cheryl Bertrim, centre, and her colleagues at Sharbot Lake RBC.

These days there is something extra on the crowded desk of Cheryl Bertrim in her cubby near the entrance to the Sharbot Lake branch of the Royal Bank, a golden statue, the Royal Bank Leo award.

Cheryl Bertrim has been working at the branch since 1976, and has trekked down to the annual recognition awards dinners in Kingston for many of those years.

But this year, things went a little differently. Based upon quarterly nominations by co-workers at her branch throughout the previous year, Cheryl was one of three people from the Kingston-Quinte region to win a one-week Caribbean cruise, along with award winners from Royal Bank branches from across the country and beyond.

“I wanted to crawl under my chair when my name was announced,” Cheryl said of her reaction to hearing her name called.

But she did enjoy the cruise.

“It's not something I have ever done, and I wouldn't go again, but I really did enjoy it,” she said.

Near the end of the cruise, which included about 2,500 Royal Bank employees and their partners, Cheryl and her husband went to one of two end of cruise banquets. Again, she found herself wanting to climb under her chair because she was one of about 80 people to receive a Leo award, the highest level of employee recognition that the bank offers.

“I was completely in shock when my name was called that time. I don't even know how they decide on these things,” she said.

Tina Howes, the branch manager, said that the bank keeps track of performance in various ways, but the main piece of information that is used for the Leo award program is the quarterly nominations that are sent in from the branches.

“Every time someone does something extra, stays late to help a client, helps someone else at the branch solve a problem, we make a note of it. At the end of each quarter a couple of us get together to look at all the notes, and we fill in a nomination. This year Cheryl was nominated for two quarters. That's all I really know about it. I never even knew that Cheryl was going to win the cruise, never mind the Leo award,” she said.

In many ways, Cheryl Bertrim's job is to help out. Her official title is Customer Service Representative 2, which means she does not work behind the front counter at the branch, but when something comes up that can't be done at the counter, she is often called in.

When people need some extra service that can't be handled behind the counter, or some kind of financial product that does not require meeting with a branch manager, Cheryl usually handles it.

“I've been here a long time, and I do whatever needs to be done,” Cheryl said.

It doesn't hurt that Cheryl, and many other members of the staff as well, know most of the customers in the tight-knit community by name.

“Sometimes you're talking to someone and you just know that there is a product that the bank offers that would be just right for them, it fits in with what they need. So you tell them about it. And if it works for them, that's great.”

Cheryl Bertrim has seen a lot of changes at the branch since 1976. She remembers the days when the money had to be counted and transactions entered by hand on ledger sheets at the end of each day.

“I don't miss that,” she said, “but now there is so much more that we do that we are just as busy.”

Cheryl didn't really do anything last year that she hasn't done any other year. The only difference is that somehow last year the Royal Bank took notice, winning her the golden Leo statue. 

 

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