BANK tellers are being offered Christmas party bonuses, free meals and other prizes to push more credit cards, loans and insurance policies on to customers.

Australia's biggest lender - the CBA - has launched a "double up" campaign to push personal bankers and tellers into selling twice as many products, including increasing customer credit limits, each week.



The other three major banks - the NAB, ANZ and Westpac - are also forcing branch staff to meet stringent weekly sales targets as the "big four" battle each other for customers and market share.

An internal CBA document reveals the pre-Christmas push to supersize customers - increase their credit limits, convince them to take out policies and open new accounts.

The paper outlines a campaign encouraging sales teams to "double their sales productivity during October and November to earn double the fun (and funds) at their end-of-year team celebrations".

Staff from each of the big four banks have revealed the tactics used. At Westpac, each personal banker has a revenue target of about $3750 a week. Selling a credit card earns $150 towards that goal.

Under the NAB arrangements, a city branch with four staff would have to sell 72 products a week.

"Staff get really desperate, to the point where they will convince customers they need something when they really don't," a Westpac staffer said.

"The targets make people do things that they normally wouldn't do . . . things like opening an account then closing it the next day to make sure they reach their targets."

Financial Services Union NSW secretary Geoff Derricknts said: "What it means for customers is that it is very hard to be certain when you get advice at your branch whether it is based on your needs, or their desire for either job security or a bonus."