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RESEARCH: Most ATMs suffer from downtime
February 10, 2008
LONDON — Level Four Software Ltd. has published a guide about ATM monitoring in response to IBM's discontinued support of OS/2 — a move that has propelled Windows to become the No. 1 ATM operating system.
According to London-based Retail Banking Research Ltd.,64 percent of ATM deployers in Western Europe have adopted Windows for their ATM networks. And studies done by Boston-based Dove Consulting project that 63 percent of U.S. ATMs will be using Windows by 2008.
With regular Windows OS patches and software updates being added to ATMs, as well as the increasing trend to use hardware from multiple vendors, ATM networks face new levels of risk, according to Level Four. Compounded with the ongoing challenge of maintenance and control, ATM deployers are experiencing greater ATM downtime in a Windows world.
With more than 1.5 million ATMs deployed worldwide, financial institutions recognize that the ATM channel is a key customer touchpoint. ATM downtime impacts customer satisfaction and loyalty.
According to a survey conducted by ICM Research in July 2007, one third of U.K. respondents (38 percent) say they would consider moving their primary bank accounts if their banks' ATMs were regularly out of service or unable to dispense cash.
Those results suggest that there is a pressing need to monitor and control all elements of ATM networks more closely to increase network reliability, especially as FIs work to introduce new revenue-generating services at the ATM.
The guide addresses:
- Steps that FIs should follow to implement proactive, intelligent monitoring at ATM terminals.
- How intelligent ATM monitoring can leverage FIs' investment in Windows and modern ATM hardware by improving network efficiency.
- Cost savings and efficiency gains through redefining the relationship with third-party maintenance providers.
- Technical considerations associated with advanced, intelligent ATM monitoring.
- Future opportunities.
"To remain competitive in the ever-changing retail-banking industry, now is the right time for ATM deployers to invest in advanced ATM monitoring due to the continued pressures to deliver sophisticated, revenue-generating customer services and to maximize network uptime," said Ian Kerr, chief executive of Level Four. "Deployers should keep in mind the significant benefits that employing an independent strategy for ATM monitoring can bring and use this to their advantage when making ongoing decisions about ATM hardware and software."
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