Absa Bank has begun overhauling its extensive automated teller machine (ATM) network — there more than 6 000 of them in the field — adding a new user interface and new self-service features such as the ability to pay certain bills that have special barcodes.

It has awarded a giant contract to Altron subsidiary Bytes Technology Group to supply and maintain NCR machines as part of the project. It declines to say how much the contract is worth.

The bank hopes the new functionality will mean less foot traffic in its branches.

Christo Vrey, managing executive of Absa digital channels, says the changes are expected to reduce the length of queues in branches — particularly at month-end.

The bank says the new interface on its ATMs is more intuitive, allows for faster navigation by users, faster transactions. The machines now include new anti-skimming security enhancements and video-based information messages.

Vrey says Absa’s ATMs process more than 500m transactions a year worth R200bn. There are more than 6 000 Absa owned ATMs in operation and approximately 3 000 Absa-supported ATMs in its network.

Customers will be able to get bank statements that feature an electronic stamp from Absa’s self-service kiosks. The bank says these statements, using “eStamp” technology, will soon be “widely accepted” by service providers as an alternative to normal bank statements.

Customers will soon also be able to make use of a new service known as “scan ‘n pay” at Absa’s cash-accepting ATMs. This functionality allows both Absa and non-Absa customers to scan barcoded invoices from a number of utility companies and other large companies and pay instantly from either an Absa account or by inserting cash into the ATM.

From next year, Absa customers will be able to make donations to a selection of charitable organisations, too.

Over the next three years, the bank will overhaul the ATM hardware — as opposed to just the software powering them — and will replace some of its older devices entirely. — Staff reporter, TechCentral