Just at the dawn of the app age, another technology was introduced to the consumer marketplace to meet modern, in-person banking needs.
Launched in the 2010s, interactive teller machines (ITMs) or video remote tellers are self-service and self-directed banking tools for consumers. “Less a transaction tool and more a teller or banker extension, the staffing element of the ITM means that consumers can bring their more complex needs and queries that fall somewhere between the empowerment of basic self-service banking and the more consultative experience that happens inside the branch,” according to Believe in Banking’s article on the rise of this remote technology.
Launched in the early 2010s, these self-empowered machines with advanced capabilities provide a powerhouse of options for the consumer. With digital sophistication that’s augmented by skilled staff available in real-time, ITMs are so much more than advanced ATMs. While certainly a leap forward for consumers, ITMs represent an even more powerful progression for financial institutions. “More than simply another way to process transactions, ITMs have the potential to extend the retail channel into underserved areas more cost-effectively than any size branch – even the smallest micro-branches,” according to the Rise of Remote.
New Consumer Data
Understanding their potential, banks are investing in ITMs as an efficient way to serve customers – with 60% planning to deploy them by 2024. Yet, ITMs have the least recognition and utilization of all banking channels and financial institutions have almost no data to base their decisions to deploy them. Now, new consumer research is shedding light on consumer perception of ITMs. According to Adrenaline: “What can we learn from how consumers are adopting this relatively new channel, what they perceive about their experiences, and what opportunities exist to optimize how it helps banking brands meet the dual challenges of becoming more efficient and delivering more personalized customer experiences?”
Expanded Access
Without the ATM that came before it, consumer confidence in a branchless banking experience like on available via an ITM wouldn’t be possible. “The ATM and its backend infrastructure forever altered our concepts of consumer convenience,” according to Believe in Banking’s article on why banking is investing in ITMs. “Self-service is taken even further with ITMs providing a human + technology hybrid available right around the corner.” Especially when deployed in a secure environment, consumers can use ITMs to benefit from counsel usually only available inside the branch, from getting financial advice to opening accounts and more.
With only 6% of consumers having used an ITM in the past year, one might be tempted to think that there would be a disconnect for consumers, but that’s not the case. Not only the purview of the digital native, ITM acceptance is high across all generations, including those 55 and older with 72% of them displaying interest in the technology and saying they’d be “extremely or very comfortable” using ITMs. Further, ITMs provide an extension of the branch experience and mobile banking. According to Believe in Banking: “More human than ATMs, remote ITMs can deliver on demand for the branch even as consumers move more digital in their transactions.”
In our next article featuring ITM Insights, we’ll take a deeper dive into consumer perception, including generational data and how banking can address any concerns about safety and security of ITMs, especially in the post-COVID era. Click here to download a full report on Adrenaline’s ITM research. For more insights remote delivery and ITM deployment, stay tuned to Believe in Banking as it tracks the big trends that are impacting financial services and informing the banking experience. To develop meaningful experiences for customers and members, especially post-COVID, contact Adrenaline’s experts at covidready@adrenalinex.com or (678) 412-6903.
Adrenaline is an experience design agency that creates and implements end-to-end branded experiences through creative and environmental design. We enhance our clients’ customer experiences across digital and physical channels, from their branding and advertising to design and technology in their spaces. After transforming an organization’s brand, Adrenaline extends it across all touchpoints — from employees to the market to in-store environments. And, we focus on serving industries that sell human experiences including financial, healthcare, sports and entertainment.
