CBA ATMs get smart
Commonwealth Bank is upgrading its ATM fleet, installing machines that will more easily handle deposits and other functions.It has 700 "intelligent" ATMs in its branches. The proportion of deposits made using a branch where these machines have been installed for more than a month is 55 per cent.With changes to branch layouts, more and more ATMs are being located in secure vestibules where customers can gain access to ATMs after hours. Forty-five per cent of deposits in intelligent ATMs are made after hours.CBA group executive for retail banking services, Matt Comyn, said intelligent ATMs would be installed in every CBA branch.The bank is also introducing touch screen ATMs and currently has 50 in service. It plans a national rollout next year."The software supporting these ATMs allows us to develop services in a more agile way," Comyn said."For example, we noticed that when people deposit cheques they often put the cheque in the wrong way. With a touch screen ATM we can run a video to show how to do it."Another feature of touch screens is that it allows customers to provide more information when they use the machine. They could enter a reference code for a payment with a deposit, for example."The bank also has some ATMs set up with barcode scanners and it is looking at ways to use the technology for customer service. Comyn said the bank was working on streamlining small business cash handling processes using barcodes and mobile devices.