Diebold, of Canton, Ohio, is taking aim at the reliability of single-slot and mixed-media ATMs. According to Diebold, it does not offer single-slot ATMs because the machines hinder availability in case of a jam, and two slots are the most reliable way to process deposits.
The battle over single- versus dual-slot strikes at the heart of the battle between ATM manufacturers. A lot is riding on NCR’s technology, which it refers to as “scalable deposit module” and is positioning as one of its major innovations. NCR’s ATMs are designed to be easier and faster to use: a deposit of five bills and two checks would take less than 60 seconds, on average.
Single-slot “single-media” ATMs and more general envelope-free ATM deposits have existed for a couple of years. The wrinkle for NCR is mixed media, or the ability of the user to input paper money and checks in any order, even intermingled. Earlier generations of single-slot ATMs require the user to enter which type of paper cash or check is being deposited and manually separate the two.
As advanced-functionality ATMs proliferate in the marketplace, new capabilities and technologies will continue to unfold as ATM manufacturers look to increase overall efficiency and productivity while striving to maximize reliability. The issue of advanced-function ATMs, and their potential to increase usage of the ATM channel, will be reviewed in an upcoming Mercator Advisory Group report.
