The agent's story

Viera Sekerková has been an agent for our Slovakian business for over seven years. Here she provides some insights into her role operating at the frontline of the business.

"The work I carry out on behalf of Provident is a spare-time occupation-my main occupation is as a cargo technician. I've been an agent for over seven years. The agency takes up most of my free time but I don't mind, I really enjoy the work and like the income.

"Being an agent is basically about two things: visiting potential new customers and assessing them for loans, and making collections from existing customers.

"For a new loan and any repeat loans we have to take down the customer details, look at income and expenditure and assess a customer's capacity to repay. This information is used by Provident to tell whether a loan offer is possible and what the maximum value would be.

"The product seems to suit customers well-I think the biggest advantage for them is that loans can be provided so quickly. If they meet the criteria and documents are understood and signed, the money is available almost immediately. Quite often, my customers are surprised by my promptness when they call asking for a loan-either directly to me or to the call centre. When I tell them I am currently in their neighbourhood, or that I can be there within 30 minutes, they are happy.

"As with everything there are negatives and there are occasions where we cannot lend. When I go to a household, even if it is clear to me that a customer could obtain another loan but the repayments would be difficult, I will always explain that they should consider taking a loan at a later date when their financial position will be better.

"It's also not unusual to have poor payers. This is one of the most challenging aspects but it requires specific skills. The best way is to try and 'bridge' with these customers and my approach is to encourage them to be more responsible about repaying their loan. In these cases, it is important to maintain regular contact and talk to the customer. If a repayment cannot be made I'll consider partial payment. In some cases a manager from Provident will visit the customer to discuss repayment options.

"I'm often told by the Provident manager that I'm their 'star' agent! I think the secret to my success lies in the fact that I am very much what you might call a people person-I enjoy chatting to my customers and always consider what is best for them. One of the most satisfying aspects of my work is something very simple; it's when a customer asks me to sit down and join them for a cup of tea-this is a sign that I've succeeded in developing a relationship based on trust."