Page 23 - Security Today, January/February 2020

“When moving to ITM solutions, employing a partner that can address the network and video components of these systems is critical to customer satisfaction.”
for trouble signals can help avoid downed machines and the lost revenue that could result, and can also potentially send an alert when an illegal act such as tampering, installing skimming de- vices or even jackpotting incidents occur.
Finally, when was the last time you engaged in a thorough re- view of your current security and life safety solutions? Chances are, if your current solutions have been in place for more than five years, they are outdated and less effective at protecting against to- day’s threat landscape. Do you still have wired or analog cameras watching your facilities or outdated access control solutions that still rely on easily duplicated magnetic stripe cards?
These may be areas of concern to prioritize new solutions. As cyber threats continue to increase, implementing a remotely- monitored, security-only network may also be an option to add as an extra layer of separation between your business-critical data and the security products that may reside on your main network.
While completely swapping out your existing technologies or adding a new network are probably not economically feasible im- provements to tackle all at once, working with a qualified security integrator can help you to design a roadmap and budget for fu- ture enhancements.
Bigger No Longer Means Better
Until the financial crisis in 2007, a retail bank’s total share of deposits was tightly linked to the size of its branch network. Over the past decade, this relationship between deposit growth and branch density has weakened. Deposits at the 25 largest US retail banks have doubled over the past decade, while their combined branch footprint shrank by 15 percent over the same period.
However, a recent study conducted by Value Partners and Fiserv, US Bank reported that while 60 percent of traditional transactions, like deposits, are digital – 80 percent of sales activi- ties still occur at the branch, making an argument that both chan- nels are still viable options for today’s consumer.
A contributing factor when deciding the best channel to serve a customer may lie, in part, on the cost. A 2012 study published in the Wall Street Journal reported that each in-person interaction with a bank teller costs the business $4, compared with $0.17 for digital financial transactions and $0.70 for ATM.
So, it seems the answer may lie somewhere in between brick and mortar locations and mobile or online activity, or maybe a combination of both with Interactive Teller Machines (ITMs) or a “Branch in a Box” approach. While certainly not the solution for every bank, these are becoming more viable options in lieu of expensive new branch construction, by still providing access to additional remote locations and expanding access to tellers.
When considering future growth strategies for your opera- tions, ITMs may play an important role in your planning. Join forces with an organization that not only has a dedicated team with hands-on experience implementing ATM technologies and newer ITM solutions, but has the capability to bring all your fire,
life safety and security systems together.
Giving and Getting Customer
Service Excellence
Standing out in a crowded competitive environment is hard to do as more banks and financial service organizations merge and the industry consolidates down. As discussed earlier, catering to the fickle demands of today’s varied consumer can be tricky, from the digital millennial to the traditionalist who wants human interac- tion at the brick and mortar location.
They all have one thing in common: The expectation that they deserve and will receive the highest level of customer service. As part of their customer experience, they expect the ATM they visit to be up and running, the branch they visit safe and secure and the mobile app experience to be streamlined and flawless.
To help you meet the increasing demands your customers place on your organization for an exceptional customer experi- ence and perhaps give you a little competitive edge, you should ensure that your technology is fully functional and available to the public. Here are a few tips when selecting or dealing with a systems integrator to help you meet your customers’ expectations.
First, select a systems integrator that is experienced in serving the banking and financial services community and is up-to-date on the changing rules and regulations that govern the industry. An organization that has dedicated team members calling on the market segment is ideal.
1. When engaging the systems integrator, identify and agree upon service protocols in advance such as response and dispatch times. Does your provider have a monitoring best practices pro- cedure in place?
2. Develop a team approach to meeting your security and op- erational needs with your systems integrator. The team should in- clude sales, project management, service and operations to work hand-in-hand to keep everyone abreast of job status.
3. Apply a consultative approach with your provider, where they keep you informed on the latest technologies on the market and how they could potentially enhance your security portfolio.
4. Look for a systems integrator that goes beyond selling and installing hardware in your facility. Your provider should be a true partner in the ongoing performance of your solutions by of- fering preventative maintenance, inspection and testing services. Some integrators can even monitor and service ATM systems for situations such as low printer paper.
When moving to ITM solutions, employing a partner that can address the network and video components of these systems is critical to customer satisfaction. Working with a trusted profes- sional partner can help give you a competitive edge in the crowd- ed financial services market by helping to identify risk at your facilities and offering insight on the right solutions. They can also provide those additional services to help ensure that the cash han- dling side of your business is running at peak performance.
A reliable integrator can offer professional installation, main- tenance, monitoring and testing to ensure sys-
tems are up to code, all while making sure your
tried-and-true life safety systems can work with
new innovations and advanced technologies.
Bill Wayland is vice president – Banking Verti- cal, ADT Commercial.
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