Bank machine to cut out counting coins
Saturday 3rd October 2009, 11:30AM BST.
Loose change and bags of coins could soon be a problem of the past after a Shropshire bank launched a pilot project with a machine capable of counting up to 1,000 coins at a time which can then be fed into a person’s account.
Customers using the NatWest’s Shrewsbury head branch in Mardol will be among the first people in the country to try out the new service.
The new machine will sort and count their coins for them.
They will be able to tip up to a 1,000 coins at a time into the machine, which will then work its magic, even sending any foreign coins or the odd button, back out to them, along with a total of how much they have paid in.
Any NatWest customer who has dreamed of an easier way of counting coins after bagging up cash from children’s money boxes, takings from a business, or even a school summer fete, is in for a treat as staff at the branch unveil the new enhanced cash and deposit machine.
It will also offer the bank’s customers an array of other services, including a state-of-the-art image receipt service, which will, upon request, provide them with an image of each cheque and paying in slip deposited – ideal for people paying in for their employers, a friend or community organisation.
The paying in service can be activated by a NatWest account card or NatWest pre-printed paying in slip, and allows the option to deposit up to 50 cheques, 50 notes and 1,000 coins per transaction.
Tim Johnson, branch manager at NatWest Shrewsbury Mardol Head, said: “My team and I are delighted to be able to offer these new services to our customers.
“Our aim is to provide an outstanding service to our customers at all times and this gives us another opportunity to do so.”
He added: “The on-screen instructions make the facilities very simple to use and we will be on hand to assist anyone wanting to give them a try.”
Anyone wanting to find out about the new cash and deposit machine service, which is available to both business and personal customers, or who wants to discuss any other ways that NatWest bank can help them, should call in at the branch.
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Hmm.. lets see had those in the US for 12 years :-)
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Welcome to the modern world Britain! What a retarded country…..
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Well for years they have had a counter service with no staff or staff just chit chatting to each other so they may well as get rid of the lot and we can all pay everything including change in to a machine . Bank (teller)worker is not a job to go in to it seems.
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What a very good idea. Lets hope other banks follow suit and get one of these machines.
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So lets see here…
You go into the bank with a bag full of coins -
You’ve counted them of course – and then suppose the machine gives a different result, by which time it’s too late as presumably the evidence has been “swallowed” ..
So question .. ?
How do you prove who’s right?
I’m afraid that my expereince of so called automated bank procedures (like paying in cheques for example) isn’t good.
Call ne old fashioned, but I prefer to speak to someone. watch the transaction, and then have a stamped and signed receipt.
Banks must really look to provide more counter staff, not find ways of automating things.
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Oh … and by the way ..
We didn’t pour Billions and Billions of Tax payers money into the banking system so it could find ways of providing even less “personal” (ie counter staff) service!
If I had my way – banks would open at a decent time, and close at a decent time, like the rest of us have to work.
As it is – as far as the “branch visiting” customer is concerned – they only work half a day!
Just think – Banks open 8.30-5.30, Monday to Saturady, and 10am -4pm Sundays !!
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actually askeric dotcom i work from 8 oclock until 5 oclock. As we are so short staffed i work most of my lunch break (unpaid) too. Maybe you ought to try working my “half day”
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Hi Karen.
Do you mean you work in a high street bank?
I’m sure that you may well work hard, but the fact remains that banks (as far as the customer is concerned) aren’t open all day like the shops are !
I run my own business. I have to be able to reply to my customers “effectively 24/7″ –
Now I know that I can’t be up 24 hours all day every day – but if the phone rings at odd hours, which it does,.. then what?
I can tell you on several occasions recently when I have gone into my local Bank branch, when there is only ever one till open, with a long snaking queue of people waiting to be served.
I recently went into the Telford Town Centre branch of my bank, and 4 bank staff were stood at the entrance (it’s an open plan environment) “apparently” for the purpose of handing out promotional material, and canvassing customers /potential customers.
Becuase there was a long queue for the one till open, I was a the back of this queue where I could hear what these staff were saying. For over 5 minutes or so… I heard them discussing last lights TV.
When I left the bank some time later … they were STILL discussing non bank issues ! So – I politely asked them if they had any work to do ! – And the reply wasn’t polite! – So much fir bank’s customer service!
Anyway Karen, I’m sure you do work hard, but I’m afraid from our (the customers’) perspective, it really doesn’t seem that way.
I think the banks need to take a long hard at themselves, and look at how other businesses have to run (from the perspective of the customer).
How would you fare if say for example you worked im B&Q Tesco etc, or a similar high street business that is open all hours?
I’ll wager you’d work pretty hard for a lot longer hours, for a lot less pay, and a lot less perks (pension schemes, holidays, etc).
And After all the money the banks have had from us … and they can’t hire extra staff ?? (you said you’re short staffed)
Regards
Ask Eric dotcom
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i,m actually not on the banks side.We desperately need more staff in our branch.Trouble is customers think these big bonus payments talked about in the media go to all bank staff. THEY DONT. I only get paid from 8.45 till 4.45 but always work longer just to get the work done. Yep you quite right about handing out promotional stuff. All the managers care about is selling. sell sell sell. We tellers hate pestering the customers but until more of you complain to management we have to comply or are threatened with underperformance and pay cuts. Most of us worry about jobs and have mortgages to pay just like you (no they are not discounted and we dont get cheap loans either)My pay is just above the minimum wage as is most tellers. The last thing we need is counting machines. PLEASE customers dont use them and if you get a minute write and complain about long queues.Dont hold out much hope that our bosses will listen as they just want to pocket their big bonus and leave customer complaints to the front line staff.
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Hi again Karen,
Well!! What can I say!
I think we may have started something here!!
I must say – I can totally understand your point of view. I can see exactly how it works for you and your “teller” colleagues”.
It sounds just like the large manufacturing employers I’ve worked for in the past.
The front line staff work damn hard, get all the flak, whilst the management sit back and pocket the takings.
The only good thing about manufacturing and similar industries, is that becuase they’ve taken such a bashing over recent times, that a lot has had to change with regard to management and their attitude to staff.
I think that’s what needs to happen to the banks. We nearly had a major change imminent recently but – Problem is that if all the funds hadn’t been ploughed into the system, we would all have suffered.
But.. you can’t help wondering what if?? !! – and what would have happened to all your “upper” managment if those funds weren’t so forthcoming etc etc?
And as far as complaining to management – I can tell you that if only I could be sure of just who is a “manager” in a bank, I would complain!
When you go into your local bank, and only one till is open, and there is no-one about other than the usual well dressed “manager” type sat in a glass walled office with the doors shut, trying to look busy, who do you complain to?
When I recently mentioned the problem of only one till open to the lady sat behind it – She told me it was the lunch break and there were no staff avaialable – so I asked her what the guy in the office was doing … and she just laughed.
As I say – we may have started something here.
The banks really do need to take a good long hard look at themselves, and would certainly do well to talk to the likes of you Karen!
Regards
askeric dotcom
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Forge retail park Telford. Sainsbury has one for years.
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My wife went for a job at a bank on the counter service. Ex-payroll manager, trustworthy, good with figures. She failed on the lack of sales experience. She was told ‘you need to send 4 people a day to the desk who are interested in insurance or loans.’
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