The ATM is a modern marvel. Now…the lucky consumer can walk or drive up to this incredible machine, insert a plastic card and cash pops out quickly and easily! Its really amazing if you think about it. The idea is getting eager, cash spenders out of the bank and into their own self-checkout line to handle simple tasks that normally clogged the system inside the precious doors of the bank. Where else can you go and get cash that easily…or at least it is supposed to be…
The Infamous ATM Waiting Line
Why is it that we have this incredible machine that is supposed to make our lives easier in search of the incredible green paper that brings us happiness only to find frustration and disappointment as we continually have to deal with individuals who can’t seem to think?! It never fails…every time I run to the ATM to pull out a Jackson or two…there is one of two people at the ATM who decide to hold up the entire line…making what should have been a quick trip that brought money bliss into a frustrating 20 minute long event.
1 – The Annoying ATM Banker
I bet you know exactly who I am talking about before I even get into this rant. This ellusive ATM banker has decided that they are going to perform the following functions at the ATM instead of going into the bank because getting out of their car on their lunch hour on a Wednesday just sounds like too much work.
- Make 3 deposits with checks that are not filled out or in envelops, so they are going to do it in their vehicle while everyone else waits patiently.
- Make a separate withdrawal out of that same account.
- Check the balance of the checking account and the savings account by getting print outs.
- Oh wait…I have three other accounts that I have to do the same thing with during this “short” trip to the ATM!
Are you serious? Your actions require 20 minutes of work (if you were ready and you aren’t)! Everyone else…who just needs to grab some lunch money so they can hopefully stop into Wendy’s, shove down some fat filled, triple cheeseburger bliss and rush back to their office just in time to be 5 minutes late…has to wait for your inconsiderate ass to slowly take your time making 34 transactions at a station that is supposed to be fast!
There should be a timer on every ATM that only allows you 5 minutes of banking time before your card is sucked in and you have to go inside to retrieve it. At that point in time, they are going to charge you a 10 dollar admin fee for being a jerk.
2 – Help! This is as hard as Chinese algebra!
Now…I am pretty sure that everyone past the age of 12 has used an ATM more times than they can count. You would think…that with all of this practice…we wouldn’t have ATM users that still get up there and get confused by the prompts. They have made the ATM literally idiot proof, so why are there still ATM users out there that have to go through a million screens searching for the FAST CASH button? It’s on the first screen! Hit the button, select 20 bones and move on your way! It’s not that difficult but for some reason…these pure geniuses of society can’t seem to get it right no matter how many times they walk up to the 12×12 inch touch screen and number pad.
Do we need to inact an ATM test and if you fail…the card just goes into the machine and never comes out? Nah…probably not…then they would just stand there pushing random buttons just taking up more of people’s time that they don’t have.
HA! I know that people hate being behind me in line because I always have 5-10 checks to deposit (clients still haven’t learned to use paypal) and I get cash sometimes (though usually enough where I only have to do that ever so often). I do have it ready and if there is someone who pulls up at the same time I let them go first but otherwise, oh well. I have to do my banking too and the banks aren’t open when I am doing it
All I have to say is THANK GOD that the BoA near me has both drive-up and walk-up ATMs. I can park and walk a few feet to get my business done while others wait in their cars.
Heck, the same works for drive-through restaurants. Why wait 15 minutes in the car when there’s no line inside?
http://gluteusmaximic.tumblr.com/post/371999988/if-i-ruled-the-world-part-1?ref=nf
Taken from my page, which was a little idea I had on how to deal with this issue.
“S’s’s’s’so, if I ruled the world, my solution(s) would be this:
ATMs should be present in pairs, one for “withdrawals” and one for “miscellaneous banking”. Neither of these should ever be found alone.
Withdrawal ATMs would have a sensor that detects whether or not the current user has at least one person waiting in line behind them. If so, the ATM will have a time-limit of 30 seconds and an allowance for a single pin-number typo. Exceeding the time limit will terminate the user’s session immediately and disable their access to withdrawal ATMs for 2 days. They can however, still perform a withdrawal at a “miscellaneous banking” ATM along with all the other slow fucks. This way they can all be slow together and piss each other off whilst leaving the rest of us unscathed.
Miscellaneous ATM’s would be equipped with a very small and discreet turret with a state-of-the-art automatic targeting system. If the current user takes more than 12 minutes, they will subsequently be locked out of all ATM services for 3 days and the turret will fire a jet of semen from the machine’s reservoir into the offenders eyes. I’ve been told by female friends that semen in the eye is uncomfortable and mildly-painful, so it seems like an reasonable option.”
The problem is the banks, not the users.. The banks are increasingly pushing customers to use ATM’s. This saves them money and that’s all it’s about. Personally I hate the touchscreen ATM’s and especially when coupled with check-scanning technology that replaces the envelopes.. By deploying scanning ATM’s the banks have effectively pushed the processing of checks off of themselves and onto customers. Now you have to scan each check individually.. 7 checks to deposit takes 7 times longer.. increases the wait for others, and saves the banks a ton of money.. Now you’re spending your time rather than the bank doing it for you.. The envelope deposits were nice if you were prepared.. One transaction for those 7 checks and you’re done.
Also touchscreens are difficult to use.. Buttons are too close increasing chances of “knuckling” another button that you didn’t want to hit.. They’re slow as snail too. But again, it’s about saving the banks money.. No longer do they have to change or revise hardware .. All changes are in software and the interface can be changed via programming.
The banks have pushed their business processes onto customers and have done so with slick marketing campaings promoting the new features while zipping their lips about how much more time it’s going to take you to do business with them while they save money.. and you wait on the long line….. created by the banks…
Banks do need regulated.. heavily…