24 Hoosier Banker April 2015 OPERATIONS / TECHNOLOGY As teller transactions continue to be on the decline each year, banks are exploring new and better ways to define the overall branch experience. Branch transformation seems to be an everyday part of the vocabulary of designers of financial institutions, since banks seem to be in constant evolution. Branch networks are challenged to provide more efficient operations and staffing, while continuing to provide enhanced services to differentiate themselves in their marketplace and reinforce their brand. One approach that seems to be gaining momentum is the introduction of interactive teller machine (ITMs). These devices are capturing the attention of the financial industry because of the potential to reduce both personnel and operating costs, while offering greater security features and reducing the risk of fraud and the threat of robbery. Financial institutions staff the ITMs with live tellers, serving several branches and drive through facilities from a central location or call center by means of real-time video. Advantages of ITMs include: • Allowing person-to-person transactions through a device; • Extended hours through the drive- through and ITM lobby, without keeping the entire branch open and staffed; • More efficient use of personnel for other financial services; • Reduced facility size, due to a resulting smaller staff. According to Susan Doyle, senior vice president of retail banking for North Shore Bank, which serves eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, “Our customers have enjoyed the personal touch of live tellers on our virtual teller machines. We’re able to maximize the value of our investment by keeping it on, even when our tellers are not available.” Branches still require personnel to handle loans, mortgages, credit issues and other customer service needs. These personnel, sometimes referred to as universal tellers or universal bankers, can handle any type of financial transaction and can manage the operation and the customer relations of the branch facility. With declining transactions at the teller counters, ITMs might be a viable solution. The ITMs allow the personal touch of a face-to-face transaction without the expense of multiple tellers servicing a single branch, and more effective management of unpredictable walk-in traffic. If your institution is considering the possibility of ITMs, there are a number of design considerations to take into account. Visibility upon entering a branch facility is important, as is seeing the teller counter and/or teller pods upon entrance. Security is also of utmost importance. Therefore sight lines and the physical surroundings of the devices need to be considered to assist with privacy of a customer’s account or personal information on the screen. Another security concern involves the actual conversation between the customer and the interactive teller. The interaction between the customer and the call center operator or remote teller can often be louder than a normal conversation. The surrounding materials around and near the device should be acoustically designed to absorb sound, so that conversations do not reverberate throughout the facility. Interactive Teller Machines – The Future of Community Banking About the Author Jeff Klump is president, principal and founder of K4 Architecture + Design, Cincinnati. He has more than 25 years of architectural and program management experience, specializing in retail development and financial markets. Klump is affiliated with the American Institute of Architects and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Cincinnati. The author can be reached at 513-8425400, email: jklump@k4places.com. K4 Architecture + Design is an associate member of the Indiana Bankers Association.
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