Planning, Budgeting, and The Rise of ATM-As-A-Service

Fall is upon us and we’re heading into planning season. There is a lot to consider this year. It seems like there’s more uncertainty for the near-term future than there normally is. We’re in a qualified recession (although we’re not stating it officially), we have mid-term elections coming in November, inflation is above 8% with little signs of a reprieve and although we’ve been adding jobs at a considerable pace, wait times and member service still seems to be feeling the effects of the pandemic shutdown and subsequent “Great Resign”.

This weakening of service & response is affecting every industry. Every one of my business trips has been met with longer lines, closed-early signs, or an interaction with someone completely overworked and exhausted from pulling the weight of two or more employees that have gone missing in action.

As we head into budget and planning season, we need to take the issue of weak service & staffing into account and consider how to put our credit union in the best situation possible to avoid poor service, slow response, and general lack of empathy. And not just from our own front-line and member-facing staff, but from our vendors and business partners as well.

Self-service access through mobile apps, online banking & ATMs are great ways to ensure your credit union can continue to provide strong service and access for your members. But, these access points are not immune to understaffing and the resulting poor service. Take your ATMs & ITMs (if you’ve taken the leap). Keeping an ATM up and running takes the work of four to five different vendors as well as your branch, operations, and accounting staff. You may not even be fully aware of all the hands involved in your ATM program. And this coordination of efforts to keep your fleet running smoothly is more expensive and time-consuming than you realize.

ATM-as-a-Service (or ITM-as-a-Service) is not a new concept, but it is catching on with more credit unions now than ever. ATMs have evolved from after-hours access to an extension of the branch, a means for teller interaction, and the beginnings of new market expansion. As the ATM's responsibility grows, so does the need for better program management. Outsourcing to an ATM-as-a-Service focused entity provides a layer of expertise that was not available to you before. It also alleviates your staff from having to coordinate internal and external vendor efforts when issues arise. And it provides economies of scale for service contracts, equipment, and software procurement.

Whether planning for different branch approaches, market expansion or focusing on providing the optimum member experience, make sure to give strong consideration to the evaluation of your ATM or ITM fleet this Fall. Would your credit union be better served by a business-as-usual approach or by an industry expert that can help you reduce costs, develop a strategic plan and implement a stronger program for your member access? Click the link in the email to request a consultation today.

Joe Woods, CUDE | SVP, Marketing & Partnerships

Dolphin Debit Access, LLC | 1340 Rayford Park Rd., Spring, TX 77386

(M) 614-378-0367