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How ATM software will empower the evolving branch

A June 30 webinar will introduce highlights from the annual 'ATM Software Trends and Analysis' guide, now in its 8th edition.

June 16, 2015 by Suzanne Cluckey — Owner, Suzanne Cluckey Communications

Someone in the banking industry, I forget exactly who, once told me that the lifespan of an ATM at their financial institution was pegged at about eight years.

If that's the case, then when that FI replaces any 8-year-old ATMs this year, its IT support team will find itself navigating a vastly different software landscape from the one they traversed eight years ago.

And nowhere is that difference more apparent than in the annual "Software Trends and Analysis" guide — sponsored by KAL and published by ATM Marketplace — that will be available for free download later this month.

Just consider the following recap of the first edition, "ATM Software: Trends Analysis for 2007–2008":

“In established ATM markets, OS/2, states and screens, and a proprietary, locked-in ATM system continue to rein.”

“Banks are ready to start implementing new things like remote-key distribution, remote ATM management and remote-software distribution.”

According to Retail Banking Research Ltd., 15 percent of the world’s ATMs had moved to multivendor software at the end of 2007, with Europe and Asia leading the way.

“ATM life in an XFS environment is a new concept.”

“People can talk all they want about how much Windows improves user experience, but at the end of the day, it’s about cost savings.”

Driving software forces established in ATM markets include:

• deposit automation/check 21 in the U.S.
• personalization, especially in the U.S.
• channel integration, so that the user experience is similar or the same.

Deposit automation? Old hat.

Personalization? That, too. ATMs are doing a whole lot more than greeting the customer by name, these days.

Channel integration? Now it's called omnichannel banking. And IT teams charged with making it seamless, user friendly, and super-secure today must consider an additional channel — mobile banking — and how that fits into the omnichannel picture.

OS/2? The ATM industry is two versions beyond that now, and wondering whether there might be a better solution for ATMs than those provided by a still-reigning Microsoft.

By way of contrast, consider this excerpt from "2015 ATM Software Trends and Analysis":

It probably comes as no surprise that security and fraud prevention and optimizing operational costs were singled out as the most critical issues facing banks’ ATM networks today. Significant focus was also placed on new functionality demands, customer experience and branch transformation. ...

According to the survey, the biggest challenges FIs face for achieving ATM and self-service goals is, by far, customer acceptance of new or different technologies. Less significant, but still important, are maintaining security and the increasing use of mobile phones for banking transactions.

In a June 30 webinar, KAL Vice President of Sales and Marketing Steve Hensley will discuss how FIs today are addressing the challenges of 2015 and beyond with new ATM software products and strategies.

In an hour-long session, he'll provide an in-depth look at highlights of the "2015 ATM Software Trends and Analysis" report, addressing topics that are top-of-mind for ATM deployers today:

• increased focus on ATM security;
• the customer experience;
• ATM estate management;
• branch transformation; and
• the future of the ATM.

Hensley will offer his experienced assessment of the software trends that are shaping every aspect of self-service devices in an evolving branch — a concept that itself was unimagined when FIs were installing the latest and greatest ATM technology of eight years ago.

Register for the free webinar.

photo istock

About Suzanne Cluckey

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Suzanne’s editorial career has spanned three decades and encompassed all B2B and B2C communications formats. Her award-winning work has appeared in trade and consumer media in the United States and internationally.

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KAL ATM Software

KAL is a world-leading provider of multivendor ATM platform, application and management software, specializing in solutions for bank ATMs, self-service kiosks, and bank branch networks.

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