One problem with through-the-wall ATMs is that they have to be attached to a wall. With interior installations, that’s not usually a problem: the front of the ATM is in the public part of the store, while the rear is in the back room.
But if the store wants the machine to be accessible from outside, it needs to find a place on its exterior wall that is both accessible and observable. That can mean giving up prime sidewalk or parking-lot space in front of the store so that customers can walk or drive up to the ATM.
Enter the ATM enclosure.
Enclosures let you direct ATM traffic to the far corner of your parking lot, turning an underused area into a profit center. The machine is available 24 hours a day, meaning you’re making money on it even when you’re home asleep. And the enclosure can be painted or wrapped with any graphics you want, providing a highly visible advertising and marketing opportunity.
Enclosures have other advantages, too:
From a consumer’s point of view, the look and feel of an ATM installation can inspire confidence. ATM users want to interact with units that are attractive and appear to be safe.
From the operator’s perspective, security and maintenance expenses play a major role in the return on investment. Installations that provide maximum protection from the weather, vandalism and theft reduce operating costs and generate more revenue.
Enclosures are very secure. They’re usually made out of thick steel, with heavy-duty locks on access doors. Enclosures that are big enough for a person to walk into are even more secure, because technicians and cash-loaders can lock themselves inside while they do their work — and the machine can be serviced even if it’s raining or snowing outside.
In addition, enclosures offer protection from the weather and vandalism. By adding heating, cooling and humidifier units, an ATM owner can maintain an optimal operating environment, maximizing uptime, extending the machine’s life and cutting down on service calls.
Then there’s branding. A standard enclosure might be 6 feet square and 8 feet high. That’s a pretty big billboard that can help draw attention to both the ATM and your store.
Finally, enclosures offer a lot of flexibility. Buyers can choose from standard models or a custom design, a big footprint or a small one. More importantly, they allow machines that weren’t designed for outdoor use to be put outdoors, giving buyers a much wider range of ATM models and applications to choose from.
Enclosures can be pricey. While the structures themselves run just a few thousand dollars, site preparation can range from a few hundred dollars into many thousands, depending on how much electrical, concrete and excavating work needs to be done.
But for high-volume locations, or places where competition makes standing out crucial, enclosures offer an unbeatable combination of security, availability and branding.
