When Cherie Lu arrived in Australia to study, everything felt unfamiliar.
A new country. A new culture. New systems to navigate.
"The customers I helped in those conversations are still with me today."
Like many newcomers, she remembers the uncertainty of those first few months. One of the first challenges isn't finding a place to live or finding your way around a new city. It's understanding the everyday systems that help them build a life here, including banking.
Today, Lu helps others through the same journey as a Banking Consultant at ANZ's Bourke Street Home branch in Melbourne, where staff collectively speak nine languages and use those skills to help customers feel more at home.
"I came to Australia as an international student as well, so I understand how overwhelming the experience can be," Lu says.
"When customers come to ANZ and meet staff who can speak their own language, they feel more welcome. We can help them settle into life in Australia and make those first important steps a little easier."
For customers navigating unfamiliar systems, discussing their finances in their own language can provide reassurance and confidence.
Lu recalls helping a customer who came into the branch to establish a power of attorney.
"When we sat down, she asked if I could speak Chinese," Lu says.
"I could tell she was nervous because setting up something as important as a power of attorney can be challenging. Being able to speak in her own language helped us connect more easily. I was able to understand her needs, explain the process clearly and guide her through the whole journey."
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These moments are common at the Bourke Street Home branch, where multilingual team members help customers with everything from everyday banking to major financial decisions.
Home & Investment Lending Executive Jonathan Khalil believes language can be the foundation of trust, particularly when customers are making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.
Khalil recalls meeting a young Lebanese family buying their first home.
"When you're talking about something like a home loan, it's a very significant financial decision for both the individual and their family. Being able to explain products, services and the home-buying process in a language they're comfortable with can make a real difference."
"The customers I helped in those conversations are still with me today."
Senior Banking Consultant Hari Kaimal recently met an international student, who happened to be from his home state in India. The customer needed help sending money home to his parents.
"When I asked him, 'Are you from Kerala?' his face changed straight away," Kaimal recalls.
"We started speaking in our own language and I helped him organise the transfer. It immediately created a sense of connection."
The team's language capabilities are particularly valuable for customers who are new to Australia, reflecting ANZ's broader focus on helping migrants navigate banking with confidence as they settle into a new country.
For Branch Manager Chrissy McGaw, however, the impact goes far beyond banking products or transactions.
"I am so proud of the staff here at the Bourke Street Home Centre and the services we can provide. They're quite unique," McGaw says.
"When you've got a customer who's migrating to Australia and we're able to help them using a language they speak, our bankers are ready to serve them. What a wonderful gift."
McGaw says language is often about more than words alone.
It's about familiarity. Understanding. Connection.
"Making people feel truly at home here in Australia is what it's all about," she says.
"Being able to speak with someone who understands your language and, in many cases, shares your culture as well, is one of the best welcome gifts you can give someone arriving in a new country.
"It's something they'll never forget."