ST. LOUIS - There are certain demographics that simply don’t like Remote Teller Systems–but sometimes figuring out just which demos those are is the hard part.
“The general assumption is always that the older demographic won’t be accepting of a new technology,” said Tom Lombardo of Clayco Financial Facilities, here. “But that is not always the case.”
NewGround’s Kevin Blair said sometimes members’ income levels and/or professions are a better indicator. “If a credit union is trying to change its profile in the market, for example, if they’re going after a more affluent member base, RTS may not be a good option,” he said.
Sometimes it’s not demographics at all but what a credit union’s brand is, suggested Jim Caliendo of PWCampbell, Pittsburgh. “If your image is all about people, if your brand is your service, RTS can detract from that,” he said.
And sometimes it’s hard to predict. “We have heard from some credit unions that middle-aged males don’t like RTS because it eliminates the flirt factor,” Lombardo related. “Another credit union told us the soccer moms didn’t like it.”
But RTS has great acceptance across a wide variety of demographics for certain things, such as after hours service and at drive-ups, where RTS can actually create a more personal experience.
