Broken automated teller machines are likely to prompt French consumers to switch banks, but the British are more forgiving, according to a report issued Monday by Level Four Software Ltd., a U.K. provider of ATM testing technology.
Seventy percent of French customers said they would find a new bank if their own bank's ATMs were often broken or out of cash, mainly to avoid paying a fee to use another financial company's ATMs, the report found. People are growing more dependent on ATMs and as a result are more unhappy when they cannot use them at their own banks, Level Four said.
In contrast, only 38% of U.K. consumers said they would change banks over chronic ATM outages. U.K. banks typically do not charge noncustomers fees.
"The research indicates that customers are sensitive when it comes to ATM charging, to the extent that they would consider moving accounts to avoid fees and to also have access to the services they desire," Ian Kerr, Level Four's chief executive, said in a press release.
