| Before the advent of ATM machines, people had to | | | | I can access my account anytime from any computer |
| visit a bank to do their banking. It was not unusual to | | | | or make any conceivable type of transaction from |
| see a line of people waiting outside a bank on any | | | | anywhere in the world while sitting in front of a |
| particular morning, waiting for the bank to open. Once | | | | computer. Or use my cell-phone to make deposits |
| inside people yet had to wait in another line, until a bank | | | | directly into my checking account, by simply taking a |
| teller would single them over to see how they could | | | | picture of a check (front and back) that I wish to |
| help them complete their transactions. | | | | deposit. The software application on my cell-phone |
| Face-to-face banking, in all probability will continue to be | | | | uploads the pictures to my checking account, and then |
| a service that some people will rely on or even favor. | | | | credits the funds to my checking account. |
| But as the banking industry continues to use | | | | So the next time an ATM machine insists that I enter |
| technology to streamline services as seen with the | | | | my pin-number, instead of just getting it directly from |
| introduction of ATM machines and online banking. The | | | | the magnetic strip on the back of my card, I will be |
| need for people to wait in long lines, and frustrated by | | | | moderate with my vocal expressions. And when |
| long delays, just to do banking in a face-to-face | | | | confronted with Windows XP or the blue screen of |
| manner will surly become a thing of the pass, as | | | | death on the display of an ATM machine, I will not get |
| banking services evolves to accommodate a changing | | | | all bent out-of-shape and start making references |
| industry. | | | | about all the documented security issues of using |
| I hope we never return to the days prior to the | | | | Windows XP on ATM machines. |
| introduction of the ATM machines or online banking. | | | | I will simply move on to the next machine, and as I |
| Because. For me the worst thing about banking is | | | | make that journey I will be thinking about the days |
| when the ATM network is down for a few | | | | when people had to wait until the next business day to |
| micro-seconds, or when an ATM machine is so | | | | access their bank accounts. While waiting in long lines |
| primitive that it requires that I manually enter my | | | | to do face-to-face banking between 9:00am and |
| pin-number. But now that I reflect on what customers | | | | 3:00pm. I will consider myself lucky that all I have to do |
| have to tolerate when visiting a bank just to make a | | | | is just walk down to the next ATM machine. (On a |
| deposit or withdraw. I can say without trepidation that I | | | | Sunday afternoon. |
| just love that ATM machine and love online banking. | | | | |