ATM controlling software for a network of different devices

Implementation results
Features
Additional Materials
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ATM Terminal is an integrated control software for ATMs, self-service kiosks and devices. The «off-the-shelf» solution includes the server components for managing devices and base integration with bank’s systems, and the software for ATM and kiosks.

ATM Terminal – UI demo

The scope of the solution includes:

ATM Terminal — a core of the control software. It needs to be installed on self-service kiosks, ATMs and other devices. Works with the devices by XFS layer or direct drivers. Interacts with the server components of the solution.
Card Client — an optional tool for working with bank cards. It supports interaction with the host by ISO8583, NDC protocol types, or custom protocols. eKassir software is PA DSS — and EMVCo- certified. NFC-readers are supported.
Card Gateway -an optional tool for working as hub/concentrator while connecting device network with the card host (in the case of integration with the bank’s processing via the inter-host protocol ).
Monitor Server — a server for technical monitoring the ATMs and self-service devices network. It responds for tracking and controlling the network of the devices.
Operation Server is responsible for managing financial and information services on self-service devices and cash-management functions on ATMs. All settings can be configured in Operation Studio application.
Server DBP or Omnichannel Banking Platform server — an optional tool. It delivers personal services and supports personal area on the self-service devices.

ATM Terminal is an integrated control software for different types of self-service devices. The solution supports of a wide range of business functions which are important for banks:

Standard ATM functions (cash withdrawal, included recycling, etc.)
Accepting payments in favor of unlimited number of service providers via self-service devices (by bank cards or in cash)
Providing client’s personal area, i.e. availability of Internet banking on ATMs and self-service kiosks
Advanced monitoring and management of self-service devices network
Working with NFC-card and services (Android Pay and Apple Pay)
Content management on the devices, displaying the advertisement, delivering personal offers, collecting feedback

Implementation results

Multi-vendor
solution
Cash
withdraw
Additional
services
User-friendly
interface
Built-in
monitoring
Advertising
and marketing
Omnichannel
scenarios

Multi-vendor software for self-service devices is normally used to unify the maintenance of different ATMs. This is It is essential for banks, which have multi-vendor devices network and wish to be independent from vendors. Upgrading to multi-vendor software does not mean expanding business functions such as customer’s personal area, payments acceptance and personal offers. These functions should be are implemented additionally.

ATM Terminal supports working with wide range of equipment via XFS layer and direct drivers. The solution contains the advanced service kit for devices. ATM Terminal helps the bank to complete two tasks: to implement the unified multi-vendor control software and to extend the ATM features.

As a result, the bank may decrease the project costs and duration. After implementation, the bank gets not only the network of ATMs and self-service kiosks with multi-vendors software, but enables this multi-vendors software network with more additional functions. It is a fundamental difference of eKassir solution from other multi-vendor software.

Cash withdraw is the main ATM function. Other functions are optional. However, we can offer some innovations for regular ATM work:

Recycling is a global trend. It enables the bank to decreases maintenance and cash collection costs for ATMs. ATM Terminal supports accepting payments on the devices and performing omni-channels scenarios. Recycling makes easier cash circulation for deposit and withdraw. We know that our clients who use ATMs with recycling feature have no need to perform ATM cash collection frequently; the longest period of working without cash collection was more than 6 months.
Dispense cash in specific denominations is the demanded function; however, sometimes it is not easy-implemented. We do provide this functionality.
Cash withdrawal by QR-code. It is one of the omni-channle service scenarios, which is important to speed up the service (for example, the code may be created preliminary in a client’s mobile app); also the code can be applied in light branches where teller desks are replaed by ATMs. Our client has implemented a specific scenario for money transfer with eKassir solution. The bank’s client gets QR-code in their mobile banking app and sends it to the recipient via e-mail or messengers. The recipient scans QR-code via ATM and get the cash. All transactions operates online.
NFC-reader. NFC-services are quickly gaining popularity. It more convenient to read the data from Apple Pay/Android Pay rather than insert the card. ATM Terminal helps to deliver this service on ATMs and self-service kiosks with NFC-reader.

Modern ATM is not only a machine for cash withdrawal. It is rather more functional device. Ideally, ATM would replace a light bank branch. Enabling new features on ATM helps the bank to improve business-rates of the network, implement omni-channel scenarios, promote banking services and attract new customers. «‎Smart» ATM may be used as a teller desk in light branches, a cash e-teller, cash self -collection device, for currency exchange or money depositing.

When updating ATM’s functions you should take in account security considerations, capacity of communications channels, out-of-date protocols for connecting with card-host, and other limitations. Such projects are very expensive. While developing ATM Terminal, we tried to consider all existing and possible future requirements.

Expanded functions for ATMs are originally implemented in ATM Terminal. To launch this functionality the bank will only need to integrate the server solution components with the bank back-office systems. The base set of the pre-implemented functions is the following:

Payments and transfers include:

Ability to pay for unlimited number of services via ATMs and self-services kiosks, including payments with complicated scenarios.
Geo-targeting for services. The bank can update the set of services available on ATMs depending on region and geo-location. It is possible to configure a certain set of services for each device.
Full text search, which is essential for numerous service providers.
Payments templates. Single payments templates for all remote channels are available via ATM interface.

Personal area for the bank’s client. Personal area offers:

Information about client’s products. After authorization, the client gets access to the accounts, cards, loans, and deposits information. Ability to manage the bank products may also be available via ATM interface.
Payments or cash withdrawal are not limited by inserted bank card. These functions can be performed from any client’s product. This actually transforms ATM into bank’s mini-branch.
Timeline service. All client’s payments and transactions made in all service channels are available on ATM screen in chronological order.
Fast cash keeps in memory the amount of withdrew cash.

Personal offers and targeted advertising. Advertising and personal offers are demonstrated during the client service session. eKassir multi-vendor software allows the banks to:

Integrate the displayed advertising and personal offers into the service scenarios.
Collect statistics on client’s feedback: number of displays, reactions, sales funnel.
Follow up the client’s feedback about positive and negative scenarios online. For example, if a client selected «‎donʼt show me this offer again», the advertising would be cancelled.
To save «‎heavy» advertising content at ATMs. When running a customer service scenario, the system only requests the parameters of the particular offer by template. The screen interface will be automatically generated based on the template and previously downloaded content.

Additional services

P2P transaction via ATMs
Cash withdrawal by QR-code scanning
Supporting NFC-cards and Apple Pay/Android Pay

All mentioned functions and some other services are already available in ATM Terminal and only need integration with bank’s services.

A client expectedly evaluates ATM interface. For some clients interface design is not important, their only goal is to get cash. On the other hand, young people and demanding clients got used to iPhone styled-interfaces and graphics. ATM screen with legacy MS DOS graphics looks for them obsolete and outdated. Supposing that such clients visit live bank branches rarely, we can resume that they will spread their bad ATM experience for entire bank.

In ATM Terminal, the UI is designed with modern technologies. UI level is separated from the control software core and interacts via standardized API. UI may be developed as a single-page web-application, which runs in built-in browser Chromium. Such approach enables high-speed of graphics display and nice visual effects.

Interface is created with HTML5, JS, and modern development tools. As a result, the developing processes are faster and more cost-effective. This also allows the clients to use modern interface controls.

To create the screens on the customer side it is possible to use UI SDK, which helps to develop the interface and debug it without deploying to the device in the process of UI development . In some our projects UI was developed on the customer side.

The built in functions of NDC and DDC protocols are normally used to monitor an ATM network. Such technology only covers basic requirements to monitoring, but usually it is sufficient to run the network. To optimize the network monitoring and expand managing capabilities, the bank needs a separate technical monitoring server. There are a number of such server applications on the market.

ATM Terminal solution includes monitoring server. The server is essential because eKassir solution does not use the standard monitoring features of NDC and DDC protocols. eKassir Monitoring is a part of the the solution and does not require additional integration. Data exchange between devices is optimized by traffic and works perfectly even with poor connection channels.

Features of the monitoring server are the same that the leading market vendors are offering. The server can perform any tasks related to failures monitoring, remote upgrading of software and managing devices.

In case when the bank uses its own monitoring server and does not plan to replace it, eKassir monitoring solution may be integrated with bank’s server. In this situation the data are transferred from eKassir monitoring to the bank’s server and no additional integration with the software on the devices is required.

Contact with a client via ATM (for example, during the cash withdraw) is the right time to offer a special product, to advertise the services, make a special offer. Most banks take this opportunity. However, advertising is limited by ATM technical capabilities. It only can look like an image on stand-by screen or a banner displayed during a customer session.

Besides, the standard ATM software cannot deal with flexible advertising campaign and content. Deploying the advertising over the ATM network is a time-taking process. Advertisement interface usually is not sufficiently attractive due-to technical specificities of various devices.

In ATM Terminal, advertising management is considerably improved. We use modern Internet-oriented approaches. The room for advertising content is pre-set in UI on the devices. The content is managed by the advertising agent, a separate program component. The control software is not involved in this process. As a result, no software updates are required.

Content management on self-service devices is performed by special cloud web-service CloudAdNet.com. The advantages of managing the content by Cloud AdNet are the following:

Easy operation. Marketing specialist can manage the content on devices without assistance of technical staff, who support the ATM network. As a result, deploying the advertisement becomes easy and faster.
Automatic control of advertising placement. An advertising campaign can be scheduled to run automatically.
Feedback. All client activities are saved for further analysis. The data can be used for building sales funnel.
Any advertising content type. Any content is available for deploying: from simple one like banner, to difficult like targeted advertising.
UI adaptation. The interface design can be client-oriented based on their profiles.

Omnichannel concept is a main trend in modern banking. A client should have an opportunity to start transaction in one channel, continue it in a second one and finish the transaction in a third channel. ATM channel is the case; however, the outdated and inflexible technologies among with high security requirements impose many restrictions to omnichannel scenarios for ATMs.

ATM Terminal as a part of Digital Banking Platform does support cross-channels service scenarios. For example, a client can prepare a transaction in mobile banking and complete the operation on ATM (payment or cash withdraw.) On the other hand, a front-line manager starts a transaction in front-application and a client continues it on ATM.