With the convenience of giving your customers access to an ATM comes certain safety concerns that can potentially increase or decrease merchants’ risk in ATM processing. Protecting your customers’ personal exposure to financial and physical danger needs to be top of mind the moment your ATM goes online.
Because having a safe location goes hand-in-hand with being a conscientious merchant, taking key precautions as a merchant can go a long way to mitigating your risk. And as long as customers feel they can safely use the ATM at your location, they will continue to visit, which means more income and potentially more cash spending at your business.
If you could stop a crime before it occurs, would you?
Making your terminal a safe place to withdraw cash is essential to your livelihood for so many reasons. And because thieves looking for easy prey could be watching at any time–waiting for the right moment and the most susceptible victim—you have the opportunity to make a difference by sharing safety information with your customers.
3 ATM Processing Essentials for Safety:
- Install ATMs only in well-lit, open areas – customers should never be hidden while they use the ATM.
- Report any suspicious activity around an ATM – cameras are not required, but can be a wise investment.
- Periodically check terminals for signs of tampering – criminals may install theft-devices after hours, so control access and know your equipment.
Merchants with an eye on their customers’ safety should also consider sharing informative safety tips with them. And because ATM processing and quick, safe and convenient ATM transactions are both high level merchant concerns, Switch Commerce has identified ten ways merchants can elevate customer safety around any ATM.
When you share these tips, think about creating well-placed signage and sharing this info in any other ways you communicate news with customers. The truth is that even the most experienced criminals can be thwarted by ATM-users taking the proper precautions, so sharing information can truly mean stopping crime before it occurs!
10 Tips to Share With Customers To Increase ATM Safety
So, what can you tell your valued customers to help them stay safe when using the ATM at your location?
- Don’t go the ATM in the dark. When you do go, check your surroundings. If it’s evening, make sure the lights around you are functioning properly.
- Be visible to stay safe. See that you’re exposed enough that you can’t be cornered or hidden from view.
- Be aware and keep an eye out. Try to continuously stay alert throughout the entirety of your transaction.
- Look around, paying attention to who is close by. Anyone who seems overly helpful or interested in what you’re doing could be looking to steal your debit card and personal identification number (PIN).
- Be suspicious of any person. Never accept assistance at an ATM from a security guard or stranger. If anyone ever attempts to help you, cancel your transaction right away and leave immediately.
- Check the ATM where you will insert your card. Does any part of the terminal seem loose or mismatched? Avoid becoming a “skimming” victim by thieves who attach contraptions to ATMs that read your card. If anything looks out of place, don’t use the machine and alert the merchant right away.
- For your eyes only. Make sure you have your PIN memorized so that it’s completely private. Never write it down or reveal it to others. Some thieves skim information with small cameras focused on your hand to capture your PIN. Be sure to cover your hand as you type your PIN, and enter it only once.
- Put cash away immediately. Avoid tempting would-be thieves by counting cash only in a very secure location. Any problem with your withdrawal amount can be taken up with the bank by phone.
- Prepare deposits in advance. Any paperwork should be ready before you reach the ATM. Don’t spend more time at the machine than is absolutely necessary.
- Hold onto your receipt. The information on a receipt is important for your own records. And, by keeping track of your account on a regular basis, you can catch any unusual activity early.
Switch Commerce provides merchant services like ATM portfolio management tools to keep terminals operating at their peak from anywhere you can connect to the internet. Plus, get convenient debit and credit card processing at a fair price—everything a merchant needs to collect and process payments.