Getting Cash at the ATM Can BEE an “OW” Experience

Getting cash can sting in more ways than one!

I usually go to my bank branch’s drive-up ATM machine to make deposits and get cash. But I recently found myself near a different branch when I needed to deposit a check, so I went there. This branch happened to have an outside walk-up ATM, which was convenient and posed no problem in and of itself.

The problem was that sitting right next to the ATM machine was a trash barrel. First of all, in Florida this can be a smelly proposition, but the problem that day was not the smell… it was the fact that it had attracted bees that were flying all around the barrel, as well as the customers trying to use the ATM machine!

Some people didn’t notice the bees; others (like myself) were trying to stand as far away from the barrel as possible without losing our place in line. When it was time to approach the ATM to use it, we tried to stretch our arms as far as possible to reach the keys while keeping most of our body away from the barrel.

Although there was plenty of space along the outside wall for bank personnel to place the barrel away from the ATM machine, apparently no one had thought to do that. This one small nuance of customer service (which is easily correctable and could have been prevented in the first place with a little forethought) overshadowed the wonderful services the bank had provided by putting an ATM outside for use at their customers’ convenience and a trash barrel out there to keep the ground around the building clean.

Take a look at the wonderful products and services you provide to your customers. Then put yourself in your customer’s place by using that service (or at least observing your products or services in action) to see where you may be allowing small nuances to undo all the good you’ve done by providing them in the first place.