From ATM Martketplace via an NCR press release:
NCR has purchased Utah-based video banking software developer uGenius Technology Inc. The ATM manufacturer said the acquisition will help it to add future enhancements to its APTRA Interactive Teller solution, which lets consumers conduct remote, assisted-teller transactions through an ATM.
“By acquiring uGenius, we are delivering against our corporate strategy of innovating for our customers and reinventing NCR as a software-driven business, while allowing us to enhance existing technology platforms and create a new segment of remote assisted service,” said Peter Leav, executive vice president at NCR Corp.
NCR and uGenius began a collaboration in 2011, when they built the first ATM that connected the customer at the machine directly with a live remote teller. In January 2012, NCR acquired a minority stake in uGenius.
According to NCR, approximately 95 percent of all teller transactions can be performed via APTRA Interactive Teller. Additional product sales and services provided by an in-branch teller can also be handled through APTRA Interactive Teller.
The advancement of remote video banking has been a recurring theme in banking channels the past few years. Such solutions offer the option of real-time interaction with tellers or customer service representatives that may be miles away in a central location, often with extended operating hours.
Recent Mercator Advisory Group Banking Channels reports have examined several of these solutions, including remote tellers, video-enabled tellers, and remote videoconferencing. In addition, recent Mercator CustomerMonitor Survey Series research shows over 40% of banking customers would be amenable to considering video banking at some point.
Click here to read more from the press release. Read more about Mercator Advisory Group’s Banking Channels service.