The Kaikohe local is a descendant of the Te Aupōuri and Te Rarawa tribes and lives with her husband, Brian. They have five children, five dogs, two cats, and run their own business. “My family are absolutely my inspiration,” says Cassey. “Our three younger kids are still at home, and I think we started getting pets to try and fill the void of the older ones who left the nest. But my family is definitely what motivates me to reach my goals.”
Prior to entering the banking industry, Cassey worked as a telecommunications leader, social work resource assistant, and kohanga reo teacher. She first heard about the customer service consultant (CSC) position at BNZ through a friend whose mother and sister worked there and encouraged her to apply.
After the first stage of her application was successful, her initial feelings of being overwhelmed by a panel of three managers for a two-hour interview quickly faded. “It became more like a catch-up about who I knew, who they knew, and making connections because we live in a small town with a population of about 5,000 to 6,000, so everyone knows everyone.”
Cassey landed the role, which started as a casual position based in Paihia. “Just a 20-minute drive from Kaikohe, it was a beautiful place to work, literally on the beachfront – the view, the coffee shops just a few steps away – and I also had the opportunity to travel around working at different branches in the area.”
She was offered more hours, and eventually, a full-time permanent position became available at her local branch in Kaikohe, which meant she no longer needed to travel. “It’s a small branch, and we have become more like whānau than workmates. We have a lot of fun together. Most of my colleagues are still with the bank and are an inspiration to me. They have moulded me into who I am and where I am today.”
Helping people is another significant motivator for Cassey, who moved from the CSC position through the banker levels over the years. “I love assisting our customers. Even if I’m helping just a few people a day, that’s enjoyable for me and the reason I do what I do.”
As a busy working parent, heavily involved in sports and the local community, it was a juggle to balance everything, but a challenge Cassey was always up for. Part of Cassey and Brian’s own business, Cooper Services Limited, includes agriculture and forestry. “There are a lot of youths in our area who are unemployed but are fit and able to work, so we wanted to build a culture around the younger rangatahi to help get them involved, so we managed them to travel away in groups and plant tea trees.”
Cultural competency in the workplace resonates deeply with Cassey, who takes pride in her Māori culture. “All my children have attended or are attending a total immersion kura kaupapa Māori or kohanga reo. Te reo Māori is spoken often in our daily lives. BNZ also has a strong commitment to include te reo Māori in the workplace, and working here at the Kaikohe branch, being able to have conversations with our local kaumātua and kuia in te reo Māori and building that strong rapport through our culture is really special.”
She says one of the stand-out learnings of her time in the industry is treating others how you’d like to be treated. “Just being more kind and understanding; obviously everyone goes through things, but you don’t know what those things are, so just be mindful of that.
“I’ve also seen many changes over the years, and I feel for the elderly people because it’s a lot more tech focused. Some of them don’t have technology or they don’t know how to use it, so that’s hard for them. It’s about just being more understanding with that, but also, it doesn’t give people the right either to be disrespectful or to talk unkindly, which sometimes we get over the phones.”
Cassey enjoys the supportive team environment at BNZ and encourages anyone thinking about a career in banking. “If you have good communication skills, a passion for helping customers, and love a challenge, then this is the job for you. If you’re willing to jump in there and give it a go, there are so many opportunities that open up once you get in the door.”
Today, Cassey is a Level 3 Banker for BNZ and says she never saw herself working in a bank. “I thought you had to be really good with numbers and maths, which was not my best subject at school. But I remember I loved watching the tellers at the front desk – you know, the speed and the noise when they counted the money.”
