Getting Your ATM Business Ready for the Holidays

How To Keep Shoppers Happy During the Holiday Season:

In 2012, the average holiday shopper spent over $800 on gifts for the holiday season. With this time of year quickly approaching, the spending season will be upon us once again. With thanks to your ATM business, you are about to reap the rewards of giving customers the convenience of having cash in hand with the swipe of a card.

Of course, to reap these rewards you will need to be sure to stock your machine and keep a close eye on your ATM’s transactions using your web access. It’s important to make sure your ATM doesn’t run out of money because being out of cash means that you’re out of business.

On average, stores draw about 150 or more people a day. This number will significantly increase as Christmas gets closer. With your already established ATM business you already have an idea of the volume that your machine does on a regular basis. This is good information to review when planning for the holiday season.

Although your area will most likely be buzzing with shoppers, like the rest of the world, it’s also important to include your location into the equation.

Most likely, an ATM located inside a shopping mall is going to do more volume than one located within a gas station. That being said, if shoppers are on the road visiting the local malls and shopping centers they will also be stopping for gas more frequently. So either way, you will see the benefits of the holiday season spending.

For an example, let’s say that your ATM is located inside a shopping mall. The mall is going to see a significant increase in foot traffic during the months of November and December. To keep up with the traffic, it is helpful to know what the mall is expecting for the holiday season. Contacting the mall manager and asking for insight on holiday expectations will help you keep your ATM stocked so that you can service all of the shoppers without running out of cash. This example applies to any location; talk to the owner of the store your ATM is located in. Ask the owner what increases they are expecting over the holidays and what you can expect too. Also, be sure to talk with the store owner about your increased visits so that the two of you can make plans for the machine to be restocked ahead of time.

Prepare Yourself To Keep Up with the Seasonal Demands

Whether your ATM business is full time or part time, it is important to carve out time in your week to service your machines. If you have an established ATM business this is something you may already be familiar with; however, with the holiday season coming up it is important to plan, prepare, and give yourself ample time to keep up with the additional needs during the holiday season.

To help you plan, online access to your machine’s transactions will let you know when the cash is getting low and the machine needs to be stocked. This is a great service to take advantage of. Keep an eye on your machine’s transactions throughout the day for the first few days of the busy season. Once you know your machine is handling the traffic well, and staying stocked, you can begin checking it every couple of days.

Be aware of especially high traffic days like Black Friday, sale days, and the week before Christmas. On days like these keep an extra close eye on your machine. Checking your machine more than once a day might seem a little extreme, but if this is your first holiday season as an ATM business owner this will help you stay on track and not lose any customers. Take these extra precautions this year and by next year you will be an old pro.