Those of you who know me know I am a big fan of IDEO. They embody most of the characteristics in a leading edge company that I respect – innovative, deep customer centricity, and a passion for change. Now they have tackled a familiar sight for all of us- the ATM. You know, that dumb screen with the push buttons that does what you want – dispense cash – but not much more.
Financial institution Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria and global technology company NCR Corp. plan to roll out a new concept for Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) called ABIL. They are not only sleek-looking, resembling an iPad or other touch panel, but they also promise to be faster, easier, and more intuitive.
The touch panels boast a revamped interface that changes the traditional look and feel of the boxy ATM. Customers select choices via a touch screen, which can rotate 90-degrees to ensure optimum privacy while conducting transactions. (No doubt the company will also look to things like privacy screen overlays that block peripheral view.) A single slot accepts cash, checks, and passbooks, as well as distributes cash and receipts.
“BBVA is constantly looking for ways to strengthen relations with its customers, and the project was not how to further automate the terminal, but how to humanize the machine,” says Vicente Amores, NCR’s Global Director for BBVA. “The result is a new self-service device based on three qualities: simple, human, and flexible.”
Twenty of the new ATMs have been rolled out across Spain, and BBVA plans to install 200 more throughout this year.
NCR plans to work with additional financial institutions around the world to deploy the machines elsewhere as well, including the Sunbelt area of the U.S., and certain locales in South America.
The project is the result of a strategic partnership among BBVA, NCR, Fujitsu and the design consultancy IDEO. Watch the video below.
The Future of Self-Service Banking from IDEO on Vimeo.