The Future of ATM
EVOLUTION
New technology has continued to integrate with ATMs as new expectations, needs and forms of security have evolved. Recently the devices have upgraded to NFC readers (both in the mobile phone and physical card) mobile apps have become an integration, and screen-less machines driven from personal devices with lower profile and higher security have entered the market. Parallel to this, a number of test technology such as biometrics and QR code use is also becoming more widely used.
ATMs continue to advance technologically, and as cash becomes less circulated, many banks are examining the functions these machines can provide as well as how consumer needs with the exchange of money are changing.
Bank of America's first piloted ATM in 1969, located in San Francisco
Background
HISTORY
The ATM serves as an extension of service at the convenience of the customer. Originally, Automated Tellers operated in addition to the hours of business for the bank, providing 24/7 service when financial centers and associates could not. The devices became recognized for their convenience – avoiding lines, hour restrictions and more locations than financial centers. Today, Bank of America has a number of different types of ATMs in operation and several pilots including remote video conference machines and low profile screen-less machines.
CUSTOMER NEEDS TODAY
While cash use has decreased, the number of ATM's customers expect has risen. Feedback and surveys have shown the desire for easier and more convenient access when needed is even more important to customers now than ever. Additionally, the physical devices are being leveraged into an extension of marketing with geo-targeted promotions, charity campaigns and commercials for services to be an additional voice to reach the customer.
Competitive Audit Images
Competitive Library
RESEARCH
Evaluations of Bank of America's top competitor ATMs, documented for benchmarking and to supplement user tested scenarios. The videos, screenshots and written library of documentation served as a baseline to track evolution of the devices across the market.
Old UI
FOCUS
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User experience
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User interface
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Interaction design
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Sound design
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Flow documentation
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Accessibility design
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Mobile app functions
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Branding
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Marketing
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Physical space
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Signage
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Hardware
Modern UI
Modern UI Rollout
SUMMARY
Bank of America has nearly 16,000 ATM being upgraded in 2020 - 2021 to its first new UI in nearly a decade. Along with a full redesign, it started in a complicated environment (COVID-19) and introduced a number of new device functions such as compatibility with the mobile app, NFC cardless readers and machine learning elements.
SUPPORT
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Ongoing user verbatim feedback, testing, interview, analysis as onboarding ramps up
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Monitoring and solutioning common touch point errors or technical issues caused by user error (card captures)
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Further design evolutions to integrate contextual preference setting and customization
Mobile App Integration
REMOTE WITHDRAWL
Several security limitations with authentication are still hurdles with completely remote withdrawals, but we've been working to create multiple possibilities for a completely touch-less experience that is driven by personal devices. Currently users can locate and initiate interactions entirely from their personal devices while still needing to authenticate with their PIN.
ERICA
Bank of America's AI, Erica, has also incorporated functionality with customers' debit cards and ATM experience. Part of the focus for all of the bank's technologies is for them to communicate, inform and work seamlessly together.
Touch-less Experiences
COVID 19
The pandemic of 2020 brought heightened concerns around touching public devices and accelerated customers' adoption of touch-less pay technology. Features that showed low use rates early on such as the NFC cardless readers and the digital wallet or mobile app authentication, have effectively become more important features to consumers.
Customer Journey of Touch-less ATM
SCENARIO
A customer needs to make a cash deposit at a financial center. They have regularly used the ATMs and mobile app, but now would like to try the “Touch-less ATM” from their personal device for convenience and safety.
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
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As fast and easy, or more, than the traditional ATM
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Completely touch-less
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Guided experience/doesn’t require associate help to learn
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Confirmation of successful deposit
Variety of modern "Automated Teller" technology
Takeaways
RESULTS
The Modern UI and additional touch-less features and integration with the mobile app continue to receive praise and high reviews from users. We are continuing to monitor and implement iterative improvements to the experience as it continues to roll out to the full fleet in 2021.
NEXT STEPS
Continued user interviews, additional documentation of competitor devices post-Covid, further research in outside markets for ATM and other banking device touch points and technology.
LIFE PLAN
Bank of America
LEARNINGS
User behavior with money, cash and payment is constantly evolving and changing – accelerated by new technologies and environmental factors. The distant future is uncertain, but it is a field requiring constant pulse checks to stay ahead of.
NEXT TIME
I would have loved to research the evolution of digital money and payment in other markets – specifically in areas of South Korea or Japan where the technology went through the same phases but has gone further into the future potentially predicting coming behaviors in America.
APPLIANCES
Lowe's