Archive for August 2009

ATM software trends, or ‘Hello, Windows’

Friday, August 14th, 2009

The cover of the 2009 Software Trends report

A few things you might not know about ATMs:

They used to run on IBM’s OS/2 or proprietary platforms.
Newer ATMs have incorporated much more robust operating systems, notably Linux and Windows
Most ATMs on the market today run either Windows CE or the full-fledged Windows XP

That information and more is contained in the 2009 ATM Software Trends survey from KAL, an independent maker of ATM software. While the report is largely aimed at large financial institutions like banks and credit unions, it still contains a lot of information for independent ATM owners.

For instance, why are ATM owners switching to machines that run on modern operating systems? Multiple reasons:

The biggest driver is increased security. A more powerful OS can handle more complex security features like biometrics and remote keys.
Added functionality. With a reasonably powerful computer inside the ATM, owners can offer additional products (such as cash-value cards, digital downloads and mobile-phone minutes) additional on-screen information (such as maps, advertising and web-browsing) and interactive features like transaction personalization. In particular, modern ATMs can display ordinary HTML pages on screen, letting owners design their own interactive screens or easily modify existing ones.
Reliability. Modern systems are both more stable and better-supported than older systems.
Cost control. This mostly applies to companies that own multiple machines. But having an off-the-shelf OS means the ability to use off-the-shelf software instead of expensive proprietary solutions, and the more powerful OS makes it easier to manage multiple machines (or a network of machines) from a central point.
Future compatibility. A modern OS means the ATM can take advantage of as-yet-unseen advances in technology, products and services, extending the useful lifespan of existing machines.

The full report is available as a pdf from the link above, and goes into a lot more detail, as well as breaking trends down by regions of the world.

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Working ATM built out of Legos

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

This is from the bottom of the page we link to in the previous post, but it’s so cool it deserves its own post: a fully functioning ATM built entirely out of Legos. It even dispenses change! You have to worry about how secure any machine built out of removable blocks can be, but this might be the perfect solution for daycare lunch rooms….

Tags: Fun
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ATMs get smarter, more versatile

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

Even non-industry techies have noticed what’s going on with ATMs these days:

Have you gone to an ATM recently? These everyday machines are starting to get more complex and interactive. Depending on where you are in the U.S. you may be noticing that many ATMs are now accepting checks without envelopes, math, or worry. That’s right, new ATMs are able to scan checks, read the amount, and provide a print out for your records. In convenient stores, some of these machines have evolved into miniature financial centers with bill-pay and other more complex transactions.

More on what’s happening in convenience stores:

7-Eleven, Exxon, and Circle K all have nation wide gas stations and convenience stores with financial kiosks. These machines are one step up from ATMs, allowing a wide range of transactions including email, secure deposit, and bill pay. The service fees may be high ($2-$3) but more and more customers are finding them a convenient alternative to traveling to pay bills in person. In fact, the bill pay feature is so popular in areas with high immigrant populations that machines will sometimes have to be shut down because they are too full of money.

Read the link for more details.

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ATM uses Google Maps for directions

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

An ATM in Barcelona, Spain, uses Google Maps to give directions.

With the newer Windows-based ATMs, there are a lot of cool things you can do if you know how. Here’s one example, from Barcelona, Spain:

I was planning on buying some tickets for a concerts using one of these “ServiCaixa” ATM machines of La Caixa. I couldn’t find what I was looking for so I decided to go into the Help (ayuda) section of the machine. There I found the ability to look for closest service centers of La Caixa. As you can see on the picture, this was implemented with the help of Google Maps.

It’s an example of two emerging ATM abilities: Dispensing tickets or coupons as well as cash, and tapping into the Internet to serve up additional functions.

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ATM maker Triton moves headquarters

Monday, August 10th, 2009

Triton Systems, a top national manufacturer of non-bank ATMs, has moved its headquarters to the Long Beach Industrial Park in Long Beach, Miss., where its design and manufacturing operations are located.

“We are very excited about the move,” said Daryl Cornell, Triton’s General Manager. “Having all of our Mississippi-based staff under one roof will increase our efficiency and will allow us to better serve our customers.”

Triton announced in May that it was making a sizable investment in its production facility and was consolidating its staff from two locations in Long Beach to the larger, more modern production facility in the Industrial Park.

ATM Network is a master distributor for Triton ATMs. The RL1600, RL5000 and RT2000 are our best-selling Triton models.

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The future of ATMs

Monday, August 10th, 2009

Recently, ATM Marketplace and the ATM Industry Association (ATMIA) published the 2009 ATM Future Trends Report, an update of a similar report issued back in 2004. It examines two linked trends: how the use of cash is changing worldwide, and what that means for ATMs.

One big hurdle: buying the report will set you back $800.

But ATMIA hosted a webinar to introduce the report, and it contains a lot of useful information. Here are the highlights.

Mike Lee, the president of ATMIA, began with a discussion on the future of cash. There’s been a lot of talk about the demise of cash, thanks to the rise of cashless transactions. Why carry around a lot of cash when you can just carry around a debit card?

But reality has confounded the predictions. “Cash will be with us for at least another generation,” Lee said, and he backed it up with statistics and logic.

Cash is used for about 65% of global payment transactions, a total of 360 billion cash transactions each year.
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, cash dominates consumer retail payments: The total value of cash payments is nearly four times higher than the value of card-based payments.

Why is cash so popular? Several reasons:

Informal. There’s no need for record-keeping, security checks or processing. It’s immediate, easy to use, fee-free and anonymous.
Vending machines. They’re a $20 billion industry in the United States, and 90 percent of the 6 million installed machines are cash-operated. They’re used most heavily in urban environments.
Familiar. It’s tangible, universal and popular, so there is a lot of consumer resistance to getting rid of it.

Then Tracy Kitten, editor of ATM Marketplace, presented the results of their 2009 survey on ATM trends and usage. They identified two big trends:

Increased use of advertising on ATM screens
Huge growth in “underbanked” people — those who never had much need for banking services but now do. ATMs are the most efficient way to deal with that growth.

That second one is a biggie, and driven by the growing urbanization of our planet. City dwellers use both cash and ATMs more frequently than rural residents. The Center for Financial Services Innovation estimates there are 106 million underbanked people in the United States, and that number will only grow as urbanization increases.

The recession favors cash and ATMs, too. In an op-ed piece in the Boston Herald, payments expert Sam Ditzion had this to say:

Tighter credit means fewer people with access to credit cards. And recession means more maxed-out cards that aren’t available for use.

“More and more people simply do not trust themselves with any type of plastic, credit or debit cards, and are removing them from their wallets altogether. Some families are starting to budget by withdrawing a finite amount of cash from the ATM each week to pay for all of that week’s expenses. Other families are reverting to the Depression-era monthly envelope system, placing cash in envelopes labeled rent, groceries, clothing, and so on. When it’s gone it’s gone.”

All told, it looks like both cash and ATMs have a strong role to play in the banking system for the foreseeable future. And when you consider the ever-improving features on ATMs — advertising, issuing coupons, selling stamps, etc. — it’s obvious that they will be able to thrive even if the use of cash eventually declines.

If you want to learn even more, visit the links above or the ATMIA’s Future of Cash page.

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ATM Network launches redesigned website

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

ATM Network, a leader in the independent ATM industry for 13 years, today launched the most extensive, customer-oriented and competitive website in company history.

The site was rebuilt from the ground up to provide the latest information and services to both existing and potential customers.

“It’s all about helping people quickly find the information they need,” said founder and CEO Phil Rock. “Our new site is packed with information and easy to navigate, making it simpler than ever to compare and learn about ATMs. We’re confident that an informed customer will see why ATM Network is the perfect partner for their business.”

And that includes much more than cash machines. While ATM Network is well known for its ATM sales, service and processing, a lot of people don’t know that the company offers free check-collection services and credit-card processing through its Check Collection Network Services (CCNS) and Card Network Services (CNS).

At first glance such services might not seem to have a lot to do with ATMs, but the connection is obvious to Rock. “It’s all about cutting transaction costs. ATMs lower the risk of bad checks and cut credit-card fees on the front end by reducing the need for checks and credit cards. CCNS and CNS save money on the back end, by minimizing the cost and hassle of collecting payment. Both services make our customers that much more profitable, and give us the competitive leverage to keep on growing regardless of economic conditions.”

The site also highlights the company’s ATM accessories and upgrades, such as alarms, signage, wireless and Internet adapters, custom painting, custom wrapping and cabinetry.

A FEATURE-PACKED WORK IN PROGRESS
ATM Network spent four months designing and building the new site. While the company wanted a design that accurately reflected ATM Network’s approach and personality, most of their effort went into developing a ton of customer-friendly features, including:

A place for customers to log in to their accounts and check activity and balances;
Downloadable forms, manuals, error code lists and customer guidesheets;
An online troubleshooting guide for ATM owners;
An industry news blog, containing the latest news about the company, the industry, ATM usage and consumer research;
An interactive gallery of ATMs, where users can search by make, model, software and screen size and get detailed information on each.
An online profit calculator, so prospective customers can decide whether an ATM makes financial sense for them;
A collection of videos explaining how owning an ATM works, and some of the considerations, caveats and benefits of owning vs. leasing vs. placement;
Making it obvious and easy to contact the service and parts departments — unlike a lot of companies that make it easy to reach a sales rep but hard to reach anybody else.

And this is just the beginning.

“Business is like art,” Rock said. “It’s about constantly working to perfect your next masterpiece.” Translation: The site will be a work in progress, continually adding features and content. First on the list: a full-featured online store for ATM machines, processing, parts, upgrades and accessories. Also on the agenda: adding more manuals and troubleshooting guides, and creating login-protected customer pages that will provide information and downloads specific to each customer.

“With our new website, we’re giving end users everything they need to choose the right company, the right product and the right services for today and into the future,” Rock said. “You can’t do that with a one-and-done design. Through our commitment to continual improvement, the site will always contain the latest features and products needed to make our merchants happier and more profitable.”
To view the site, visit http://www.atmnetwork.net

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