News
Think small
Eric Spielman has made a big impression in Boulder, Colo., by installing ATMs in locations where space is tight.by Ann All, editor
May 17, 2000
Eric Spielman doesn't mind being in a tight spot. In fact, it's good for business. Spielman, owner of Colorado Financial Services Inc., has managed to carve out his own niche in the Boulder, Colo., market by "putting machines where no one else would do it," he said. Case in point: his first deployment at a coffee shop near the University of Colorado. The shop had "no space in inside," but Spielman saw an opportunity in an area just outside the door. "It was dead space that wasn't being used. I figured if I could find a way to put an ATM there, I was sure they'd go for it," he said. After using every inch of available space to create a steel enclosure for a Triton 9500, Spielman realized he could specialize in custom installations. "I figured I could effectively eliminate my competition by doing that," he said. That first machine remains one of his most profitable, with volumes of 1,500 transactions a month when school is in session and students are on campus. One of his biggest challenges was at a public parking garage owned by the city of Boulder. Spielman wanted to do a through-the-wall installation but had to work with a space that was approximately 4 feet deep -- not deep enough for a typical through-the-wall machine. His solution: crafting a steel fascia for a Triton 9616. The 9616 was "the shallowest rear-loading machine I could find," Spielman explained. Since the garage was a new construction, the city cut a hole into the wall to accommodate the ATM. The front of the machine presses up against the back of the fascia and is flush with the wall. Spielman loads the cash from an alcove located underneath a staircase landing. While that sounds a little grim, he has outfitted it with carpeting, insulation and, because it's Colorado, heat. "It's not too bad, actually," he said. "If I get kicked out of the house, at least I've got a warm place to be." He enjoys the reactions he sometimes gets from perplexed passersby, who can't see him but can hear him as he works behind the machine. "It's a perfect 'Candid Camera' thing," he said. While cash is loaded from behind, paper must be loaded from the front. The top half of Spielman's fascia is hinged and has a high-security lock so he can easily service the machine. Spielman said he spent "a lot of hours" on the fascia's design. "I wanted to make sure everything is done correctly and works right -- and still keep it aesthetic." The installation has caught the eye of other area deployers, several of whom have called Spielman to inquire about doing similar installations. "Based on the reaction I've gotten just from local guys, there seems to a need for it," he said. After posting a note on the ATMmagazine Message Boards and receiving emails from other ISOs, Spielman is considering marketing the fascia. "I'm working on pricing," he said. "It's hard to say how many I'd be doing at one time, and certainly quantity relates to price." Spielman's email address is: ericspielman@yahoo.com.
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