News

Self-serve coin counters increase efficiency (and fun) at Oregon CU

June 3, 2016

Salem, Oregon-based Maps Credit Union has reduced teller transaction times by installing Cummins Allison Money Machine 2 self-service coin counters in three of its branches, according to a press release. Eventually, the CU intends to install self-service coin machines in all of its eight full-service branches.

"When our tellers had to run back to the vault to run coins, it made the [member's] wait that much longer," said Traci Kendall, vice president of branch operations at Maps.

Instead of spending their time running coins and changing bags, employees can now simply process receipts presented by members who have run their coins through the self-service machines. The CU has been able to meet its goal to shave two minutes off of each transaction that involves coin counting, the release said.

The coin machines also help Maps support community events, such as an annual penny drive held by a local school to benefit a children's hospital.

"After the penny drive, the school would actually bring the pennies to our branch in five-gallon buckets," said Kendall. "They would drop them off and then come back to find out the totals and do the accounting piece. It could take us all day to get through counting all those coins."

Now students can find out how much they have raised in a fraction of the time by running the coins themselves.

"It's almost as exciting [for them] as hitting the jackpot on the slot machine," Kendall said. "It makes banking fun."