Share this article
When an ATM fails, it can cost more than just a hit to the bottom line for your business. Throw in unhappy customers, lengthy downtimes, and costly repairs, and the end result of a broken unit can have a ripple effect throughout your operations.
Although ATM machine maintenance services provided by vendors are certainly nothing new on the market, ranging from regular maintenance to service calls, there are other service providers able to differentiate themselves from the pack with some little-known offerings.
In an attempt to proactively avoid the headaches that can come with operating ATMs, compare your servicer’s current offerings with these little-known options that can help your financial institution address potential problems before they occur.
1. Software Updates and Patching
Whether your unit is freshly installed, refurbished, or operating under an extended warranty, one of the most commonly overlooked pieces of fine print is the fact that only defects or breakdowns caused by defective hardware are covered.
However, does your service provider regularly assist with security, manufacturer, and compliance updates and patches to your unit’s software? Regular security-level updates to Windows, manufacturer patches that fix known bugs and defects, and other modifications relating to updated compliance standards not only keep your machines functioning properly, but they also keep your customer’s data secure.
2. Real-Time Unit Monitoring
It goes without saying that having maintenance technicians proactively going from unit to unit conducting fault testing and monitoring performance would drive operational costs through the roof.
Instead, service providers can now use an on-board monitoring agent that analyzes and logs ATM activity, issues, and faults, and either attempts to fix the problem using known simple fixes, or by alerting a centralized monitoring tool so that the operator can service the machine before a complete outage occurs.
This method means that ATMs can be remotely monitored for performance and only serviced when they need them instead of on an arbitrary service schedule.
3. Remote Diagnostics
Before you pick up the phone and have a technician travel to the site of a down unit, some servicers are able to offer remote diagnostics services. These services can allow for error codes to be pulled remotely so remote troubleshooting like unit resets, software changes, or problem hardware identification can occur before a trip is even required.
In the case that a trip is still required, the technician will know the issues, possible fixes, and required tools needed to get the unit back up faster.
4. Performance Reporting
Another often undervalued ATM machine maintenance service is the value that unit performance reporting can provide. In addition to statistics that list individual unit uptime, cross-fleet health metrics, and historical service and repair logs, performance reporting can also be used to identify underlying problems.
Using consolidated performance reporting, your financial institution can identify previously unquantifiable factors that may be impacting your fleet’s performance. For example, units placed in locations that receive too much sunlight versus more protected units could be overheating, putting more wear on hardware and causing more service calls. Other metrics like cash inventory and usage statistics can refine operational decisions.
5. Fleet Consulting
All of these services can also combine to give your financial institution additional data from which to make decisions regarding the future of your fleet. With detailed fleet data, the availability of remote services, the possibility of remote upgrades, and real-time diagnostics, your institution can use data to make changes in service providers, make hardware selections, or change unit locations to maximize your return on investment.
Bringing It Together
The value of preventative maintenance is nothing new, whether you’re servicing your car, your home, or your company’s vital assets. However, what can set your financial institution apart is to take advantage of some of these little-known ATM machine maintenance services to streamline your operational costs.
If your branch isn’t currently supported by a provider that can offer all of these services, then reach out to the experienced team at Burroughs to learn more about what we can do for your fleet.
