A B.C. credit union has replaced its “”plain-Jane”” automated teller machine with a model from Fujitsu that allows for a look and feel similar to its Web site.
The 8040 ATM from Fujitsu Transaction Solutions Inc. that was
recently installed at Mt. Lehman Credit Union marks the first time the company has sold its 8000-series in Canada.
The ATM is driven by an Internet Explorer engine that can be modeled by the credit union to meet the expectations of its customers. “” That will enable them to create more engaging graphics,”” said Abe Ellorin, a Fujitsu sales associate based in Vancouver. “”The institution will still control what types of services and what types of screens will be displayed. The Internet Explorer will be used for presentation more than anything else.””
Added Ellorin: “”With this enhanced software that you have on the ATM, they can actually use same messages that they use on their Internet banking and display that in the ATM itself.””
Mt. Lehman is still working on the screens it will display to customers, but the ATM could help drive traffic into the credit union and raise awareness of its products and services.
“”That’s part of what we liked about the machine and the technology itself,”” explained Mt. Lehman assistant manager Susan Senft. “”We’re able to tell the user more about what we are and what services we offer.””
The IE engine can also be connected to a Web server, added Ellorin, which will speed deployment time and make application development that much quicker.
Mt. Lehman Credit Union, based in the B.C. town of the same name, is a single-branch institution servicing about 1,500 customers. Fujitsu is aiming to sell the ATM into more credit unions, which is its bread and butter in Canada. In the past, the company has sold ATMs to VanCity Savings Credit Union in Vancouver and Coast Capital Savings in Surrey, B.C.
The big banks like CIBC and Scotiabank are all tied into long contracts with established ATM suppliers like NCR, said Ellorin. “”We feel we have created a good reputation within the credit union system, so that’s where we are focused right now, (but) we’re not totally closed to marketing this product to the big six (Canadian banks).””
The company has sold also ATM products to about 10 American banks, he said, but the 8000 series has other markets it can address, like retail. According to Ellorin, features common to earlier-generation ATMs like dispensing bus passes, coupons and stamps are being introduced into current production models. There are currently Fujitsu products in the Albertson’s chain of grocery stores in the U.S. which will do cash transactions as well as print store coupons.
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