STRATEGIC PARTNERS
Is "Stella" the ATM of the future? NCR's new prototype is all about interactivity. by Kevin Gibson, contributing writer
March 11, 2002
You're having a bad day. You scoot through the drive-through window at your bank to deposit that birthday check your grandmother sent three months ago, and the teller recognizes you and calls you by name.
It doesn't change the fact you're having a rotten day, but for the moment you feel better. A friendly "hello" from a teller whose name you can't quite remember is better than an ATM's lifeless screen, at least on this day.
Then there's "Stella."
Stella -- a prototype cash transaction machine unveiled June 21 in Toronto by NCR Corporation -- knows her customers better than any living teller could hope to. NCR is working in cooperation with the Royal Bank of Canada and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
Personality plus
Conceived by scientists and engineers at NCR's Advanced Solutions Concepts Lab in Dundee, Scotland, this "concept ATM" not only will interact with its customers during transactions, but also will recognize them on sight, call them by name, and even remember their birthdays.
In fact, Stella may rival bartenders with her memory. She can remember frequent transactions -- say, a $50 withdrawal -- and ask her customers if they would like "the usual." And you can leave your ATM card at home. Stella has no screen, no card slot, nothing that makes her look like a traditional ATM.
Rick Makos, vice president of financial solutions for NCR, said consumers' reactions to Stella were mostly positive during the weeklong trial run. He said responses typically ranged from "this is very cool" to outright amazement.
Once a user is registered -- a process that takes only a few minutes -- Stella recognizes the customer through iris identification, then greets him or her by name and asks what she can do for that customer.
"The whole idea is it's a very natural way to conduct transactions," Makos said, "much like you would go up to teller. It's a natural way of doing things. It might make (electronic banking) more available to people who don't use ATMs."
People do have some reservations about Stella's technology. For instance, some fear having a machine "read" their eyes for identification, although Makos said, "It's the same technology you would use to photograph your children."
Also, many still fear the "Big Brother" intrusion of such software and feel they get more security from their checkbook or debit card. Makos said that Stella's technology -- including software capable of massive data warehousing -- is at least as safe as current methods. With Stella, there is no ATM card to lose or PIN that can be stolen.
Like it or not, Stella, or some version of her, most likely represents the future of electronic banking.
While Stella may seem straight out of "Star Trek," her features and functions "are well grounded in the reality of emerging technologies," said Sharon Gibbs, acting vice president, Self Service Banking, CIBC. "The test presents a unique opportunity for CIBC to discover what consumers really want so that future self-service deliverables have a real connection to the real world."
Stella resembles an inverted pyramid or, as Makos described her, "a cut away ice cream cone." The customer merely steps onto a small pad to set the machine in motion. As soon as Stella reads the customer's ID, an internal cone illuminates, providing a signal that the transaction is under way.
The customer tells Stella what he or she wants -- the machine uses speech synthesis software to "listen" -- the transaction is processed, and the receipt is stored or downloaded straight to the user's personal organizer. Users with a personal organizer can then download it to their home PC. When the transaction is finished, Stella bids the customer farewell, using his or her name.
Getting to know you
NCR is also researching the use of agent technology that can be configured with the consumer's profile, likes and dislikes, frequent transactions and spending patterns.
That means we can expect advertising if and when Stella makes her way into widespread use. Makos said there will be tools that will allow consumers to opt out of those kind of messages.
"Our whole concept is that the technology is neutral, and the consumer should decide how that data should be used. We want to get the consumer involved in that choice. You would only get to see (advertising) if you allow the bank to do that," he said.
"This type of proprietary research can only be found in the field," said Greg Bright, senior vice president, Physical Channels, Royal Bank of Canada. "Banking and e-commerce are moving at a phenomenal pace, and research like this will give us a clearer picture of the needs and expectations" of consumers of the future.
One reason Canada was selected as the test site for Stella is because Canadian consumers "are extremely comfortable with self-service technology," Makos said.
Canadians are among the world's most prolific ATM users, with 50 transactions per person per year. According to the Canadian Bankers' Association, more than 85 percent of all daily banking transactions in Canada are done electronically, mostly through banking machines or debit cards.
Based on the consumer research in Toronto, Stella could get a dramatically different look. The entire design could change if researchers find consumers didn't feel comfortable with her inverted-pyramid shape.
Nevertheless, the advanced technology is here to stay. Once Stella is
complete, NCR's strategy is to introduce her worldwide so consumers can have access to their cash everywhere they go.
Makos said the machines' personalities can be tailored to meet customers' preferences. Customers could choose a male or female voice, or even one with a certain accent or dialect.
Imagine having a machine call you by name, wish you happy birthday, and then give you money. Stellas all over the world could brighten a lot of days for a lot of ATM customers.
