First National Bank is rolling out a new range of ATMs called Slimline that it says are capable of delivering digital banking in retailer environments at remote locations where the volume of business does not support a conventional ATM.
FNB Slimline has a large touch screen with an integrated camera, a card reader for chip-and-Pin cards and a numeric keypad.
“We sourced components from our established ATM suppliers and included comprehensive software upgrades to allow account interaction such as transfers and payments,” says FNB head of self-service channels Aziz Cassim.
The ATM is designed specifically for the needs of lower income earners. “Slimline also has great potential across all our market segments from personal to business and commercial due to its deep digital banking ability,” says Cassim.
According to the Finscope Consumer Survey of 2012, people in the lowest income groups spent nearly 100% more time accessing an ATM than people in middle and upper income groups. The survey showed that poorer customers took 47 minutes to access an ATM, while better-off customers were able to do this in 23 minutes, FNB says.
FNB has installed 960 Slimline ATMs in South Africa and is also installing them in Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Swaziland and Tanzania.
The Slimline ATMs do not dispense cash. Rather, a slip is issued and then cashed at the retailer’s till. The retailer’s account is credited, lowering the risk and cost of holding cash in the shop, FNB says. — (c) 2013 NewsCentral Media