Background: ATM and Deposit Processing Then and Now The steady growth of deposit automation since the early 2000s -- also known as Check 21, no envelope deposit, image deposit or ‘smart’ ATMs -- has transformed the self-service banking environment. A major factor influencing increased deployment is the visible evidence of the mutual benefits the technology provides the financial institution and consumer. It provides the customer a secure, accurate, accessible and available system to handle common financial transactions like: account deposits, account transfers, cash withdrawals and balance inquiries. For the financial institution, the investment in deposit automation at the ATM has a direct impact on lowering operational costs associated with deposits of checks and cash, which are a vital stream for the physical branch network. The necessary components for deposit automation at the ATM are defined as follows:

The perfect business opportunity awaits today’s local and regional financial institutions – the chance to cement your bank as a true value-added partner to your retail customers while creating additional revenue for your institution with minimal investment. That opportunity lies in remote deposit capture and recycling technology that will transform in-store operations while reducing costs and eliminate the deposit only limitations and additional expense of the current smart safe functions being used.

Technology has revolutionized the banking industry, leaving financial institutions wondering which advancements make sense for their unique needs. And over our 32 years of being in business, we often get asked, “Which would you recommend?” when a financial institution is trying to choose between two products. Often, the answer isn’t clear-cut.

In conversations with many of our existing as well as prospective customers, they indicate a common theme in the desire to continue to drive technology into their retail branch network and stay current on what is available to achieve efficiency and gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. The challenge for many is how to balance needs for technology investment at the branch level with the other areas required to grow the bank and vie for a finite amount of Capital budget dollars in a given year or fiscal period. In some ways, this can be perceived initially as a Catch 22. Consider your position as a retail branch EVP and COO, you are charged to drive out operational ‘waste’ and cost found with inefficient processes and excess and increase profitability through capturing more products and services purchased by and within your customer base.

Our article about why Financial Institutions should look to implement universal tellers, has been very well received. But we still get asked the question about whether or not universal tellers are a right fit for their environment.

There has been a revolution in the beer industry with the rise of the locally focused, craft breweries. North Carolina specifically has had a large rise in success of these companies. Many of them have tasting areas or even entire tasting buildings designed to allow their customers to enjoy a fresh product and hang out and have a great time. For us, we have seen this create a challenge in operations for these clients to maximize profit and minimize risk.