Tag Archive for: atm business

ATM Marketing: 5 Ways to Promote Your Business

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There are many ways to promote your business if you are a small business owner. But what if you are an ATM business owner? Well, many strategies will still work for you. And we highly encourage you to try some of these strategies if you want to scale your ATM business. 

The best part is that each of these 5 ways to promote your business costs little to nothing! That’s good news because it means that you can scale your ATM business without cutting into your profit which equals more passive income for you. Here’s how.

Why Promote Your ATM Business?

You will want to promote your ATM business to either get your first placement or to get additional placements after your initial installation. Promoting your business basically means advertising yourself. People need to know that you place ATM machines in order for them to seek you out for ATM service.

Of course, there are a number of steps and strategies you can use to actively get that first placement, and you can continue to use them. But advertising increases the chances of opportunities coming to you. That saves you a lot of time, energy, and other resources making cold calls and site visits that don’t convert to placement agreements.

The more passive opportunities that come your way, the more of your revenue you get to pocket. Next, we’ll show you 5 free and affordable ways to promote your business.

5 Ways to Promote Your Business

Social Media

First and foremost is social media. Why? Because that’s where everyone is! Social media is a great place to let friends and family know that you are in the ATM business. That way, they can refer you to business owners they know who might be interested in ATM service. Or, maybe they identify a gap in the market for you! 

If you have a hundred friends, that’s a hundred hooks you’ve got in the water! Basically, social media is a free and easy way to expand your reach with little to no effort on your part.

How to Optimize Social Media

Now, to improve your social media efforts and rewards, you will want to be active on your ATM business social media account. Here are some ideas of interesting and engaging content you can post to keep your page or channel active:

  • If you resolve an issue, share the experience! This will show your dedication to, knowledge of, and skill in maintaining your machine. 
  • Record short, informational videos. This will also demonstrate your knowledge as well as educate your audience on the ins and outs of how ATMs work. Promoting ATM and cash usage is good for your business, too, aside from getting placement opportunities.
  • Always post a relevant photo or graphic. This is an effective way to make your post stand out in a feed and makes scrollers more likely to stop and check it out! 
  • Memes are always fun. Adjust existing memes to relate to your ATM business experiences, or create your own. An expectation vs. reality meme or video could be a fun way to dispel myths and educate about ATMs, the ATM business, and how it all works.
  • Share interesting, relevant videos and articles related to your business. Sharing informational industry news can be an easy way to stay active on your page without having to create a lot of content.
  • Creating short, educational posts about ATMs and your business can help demonstrate your value. Make it obvious what you do and how you help local businesses.

Don’t Forget to Brand Yourself!

Your social media business account isn’t just for friends and family. Make it public and shareable. This will help you reach more people outside of your immediate circle. You can also be found this way by people actively searching for ATM servicers in their area. 

Then, if your page is kept current, you add branding (logo, theme, business name, etc.), and you display your unique style and personality, all of these factors can help you beat out any competition. Portraying a professional yet personable business identity, or brand, will make businesses want to work with you. Then, you can proudly share your social media with leads who can research you further and reach out when they are ready! 

ATM Business Card

ATM business cards demonstrate preparedness and professionalism. They are very handy when you encounter an unexpected potential opportunity. Keeping business cards on hand ensures that you are always ready to share your brand and contact info with whomever you might encounter day to day. 

However, you can also use business cards when you actively approach businesses with your ATM service offer. A business card is a good way to leave behind your information if the decision-maker isn’t on-site or available at the time of your visit or if the prospect initially declines or wants time to think about it. 

Traditional business cards are effective ways to promote your business because they are tangible. They will hang around, keeping you, your business, and your offer at the front of the location owner’s mind. Having something physical lying around after you leave keeps your prospect from forgetting about you. 

You can create your own business cards or use templates on websites like Shutterfly. You can order 50 cards for around $15. We even have some ATM business card tips you can use to get the right information out there!

While traditional business cards are effective marketing tools because of their tangibility, dot. business cards offer a new way to quickly and easily share your contact info. You only need one, and prospects can simply scan a QR code from their phones to get your digital business card! This way, it can’t get lost or trashed during spring cleaning, so it’s easy for a lead to access when he or she is ready to discuss your offer.

ATM Business Flier

An ATM business flier functions similarly to a business card. It’s something tangible you can leave behind if a prospect isn’t ready to talk at the time of your initial visit or if he or she wants time to think about your offer. The main difference is the type of information a flier includes.

A business flier will be larger than a business card. It will likely be printed on standard document paper. This allows you to be more specific about yourself and your business. You might add a personal bio, testimonials, and, most importantly, your value. 

On an ATM business flier, you will want to list the benefits of ATM service and the pain points you are able to solve. This can sometimes be a more effective reminder of your service than a business card which only shares your contact information.

Topper

A topper is a lighted sign you can purchase for an existing ATM machine. You can use it to display your name, your brand, your phone number, etc. This is a good way to reach strangers, anyone passing by or using your machine who is happy with your service and interested in ATM service him- or herself.

It also doubles as a marketing tool for the location itself. You can advertise specials, promotions, or new products and services for the store or business where your machine is placed. Generating more sales for your location is a good way to get a renewed contract and referral. Then, you can add to your ATM business flier your track record of increasing sales to the list of benefits you offer! 

Referral Program

Finally, you can create a referral program. This program is completely customizable. You can make it look however you want. The point is that you encourage friends, family, and location owners to scout out prospects on your behalf. In exchange for gifting you with a promising location, you can offer a reward. 

The incentive is up to you. You can offer a flat rate or a portion or percentage of the surcharge fee up to a certain amount or for a set period of time. If a friend or family member puts you in contact with a business interested in ATM service, you can gift a set amount to the person who made the referral. If the location owner of your current placement makes a referral, you can adjust the surcharge split in his or her favor.

A referral program is a good way to encourage people to actively try to put you in contact with more prospects. This motivation can help overcome any shyness or reservations someone might have about making a pitch on your behalf.

Conclusion

Not only are these 5 ways to promote your business simple and affordable, but you can use them all in conjunction! The more strategies you employ, the better your chances of reaching more people, getting more opportunities, and signing more placement agreements.

Whether you need to get your first ATM machine up and running or if you are ready to add more machines to your route, you’re going to have to get your name out there. 

Remember that the best part of these strategies is that they help create opportunities for leads to come to you. This saves you time and energy because you are meeting leads that are already interested in what you have to offer. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have contacted you! 

So what are you waiting for? Start experimenting with ways to promote your business today!

7 ATM Installation Tips

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ATM installation can be an overwhelming process for some independent ATM deployers (IADs). However, it should be the most exciting part of starting an ATM business! ATM installation means you’re just steps away from entering into business and making passive income. 

Although overwhelming, the process is quite simple, especially when you know ahead of time what to expect. Here, we provide 7 ATM installation tips so that you can rest assured knowing that you are checking all of the boxes. And don’t forget, you always have access to professional help should and when you need it.

1. Choose the Right Spot

The most important ATM installation task is choosing the right spot. To do so, there are many factors to consider. 

Convenient Yet Secure

You want to choose a spot that is easy for customers to get to but difficult for criminals to get to. So, this means a clear path in a high-traffic area away from doors and windows. Customers should be able to see the machine right away and be able to get to it easily. However, the machine should be protected from break-ins, enough so that it’s more risk than it’s worth to try to get to it for theft or vandalism.

High-traffic areas are great for increasing usage, but they are also simple security measures. The more eyes on the machine at any time the better. The machine should be in eyesight of cashiers or employees or at least within the view of security cameras.

For the same reasons, the ATM area should be well-lit. This helps customers see the machine and feel safe and comfortable using it which increases usage. But it also deters criminals.

Close to a Power Source

Your machine will also need to be powered. So you will need to install your ATM machine within a few feet of a power source. It is recommended that you use 110/115v 15a outlets that aren’t dedicated to other major appliances (freezers, refrigerators, etc.). It’s a good idea to use a surge protector, too, and maybe even an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) so that your machine remains operable during any outages.

Connect your machine to a dedicated standard phone line. If you try to connect the ATM to a fax line, a shared line or a PBX phone system you risk transaction issues like delays, non-dispensing, incomplete transactions, etc. Save yourself the headache and just install a separate phone line.

Adherence to ADA Guidelines

ATM placements have to be in compliance with the rules and regulations outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This gives people with disabilities equal access to public services.

All ATMs need to be accessible to people with disabilities, so certain accommodations are mandated. ATM manufacturers are aware of ADA guidelines, so new machines should already be equipped with Braille, earphone jacks, and compliant keypads. 

However, it is up to you—the ATM owner—and the location owner to make sure that the area around the machine is clear and wheelchair accessible. This is the responsibility of the property manager or merchant, regardless of the arrangement made with the ATM owner or other ATM provider. 

Include a clause in your site location agreement (SLA) to ensure the location understands that they can’t permanently block access to the ATM with inventory or other barriers. The minimum clear floor or ground space required for accommodating a single, stationary wheelchair and occupant is 30 x 48 inches (10 sq. ft.), so that is the space needed in front of the ATM to comply with the ADA wheelchair access guidelines.

Furthermore, an ATM’s reach, the height of the uppermost function key on the machine, should be no higher than 48” from the ground. This ensures that all customers can easily access all input controls. It’s especially important to keep this in mind when installing wall mount ATM machines.

2. Secure the Machine

Choosing a strategic location for ATM installation is important to maintaining its security. But there are additional measures you can take during installation to make sure the machine is protected, especially if the only space available at your location isn’t ideal.

Without blocking access to the front of the machine, limit physical access to the case. If the machine is against a wall and closed off on either side by other walls or furniture, this limits the areas of the machine vulnerable to tampering. 

This especially helps prevent logical attacks which involve accessing the mainboard and other internal electronics to breach the software or hardware. Blocking the back and sides of the machine makes it difficult for scammers to access points of ingress.

As far as preventing physical attacks, you want to make sure the machine is bolted to the floor. The ground should be level. First, so that you avoid warping, bending, or otherwise damaging the ATM cabinet. Second, so that someone can’t pry the machine up with a crowbar or other tools. Once bolted, try to budge it. The machine should not give, shift, or wobble.

If there are not security cameras at your location already, or at nearby locations if you place your machine outdoors, install your own. Security cameras and alarm systems help monitor the ATM’s surroundings both increasing customer comfortability and deterring crime. You can even advertise that your machine is under surveillance.

3. Opt for a Wireless Device

The machine has to be connected to a communications device such as an internet connection or a wireless communication device. We recommend investing in your own wireless device so that you aren’t at the mercy of the location’s internet service provider (ISP). 

If communication is interrupted, you’re out of business. Having your own communications device allows you to troubleshoot quicker and ensure that you always have a reliable connection. The alternative is waiting for the location owner to handle any reboots or dealing with their ISP which can be time-consuming and frustrating. It’s best to have this ready at the time of your ATM installation, just in case, but it can always be added later.

4. Load Enough Cash

You can’t start operating your ATM business without vault cash. Load your machine with about $2,000-$3,000 in cash at first. Then monitor the activity via remote online monitoring system to see if you need more or less to facilitate withdrawals in between vaulting. If you use your own money to vault the machine, you can use less than $2,000 if that’s all you have. This just means you might have to load cash more often. 

The most important part of loading cash is ensuring that your machine doesn’t run out. Cash vending is your business; so you’ve got to make sure your machine is equipped to provide this service. Try to load extra at first as a safeguard until you get a good idea of how much traffic your machine sees in a week.

5. Advertise

Once ATM installation is complete and you’re up and running, you will want to make sure that customers and passersby know. Add signage advertising ATM service. Work with the merchant or location owner to run promotions or offer coupons with ATM transactions. These are great ways to jumpstart your ATM business and start earning revenue.

6. Seek Professional Help and Training

It is more than possible for you to handle installation on your own. However, it might be a good idea to seek professional assistance for your first machine. This will help save you time and prevent avoidable mistakes. Then, once you’ve experienced the installation process once, you can do it easily and for free for all machines you install afterward.

Work with your ATM provider to see what kind of installation support they offer. They might have manuals or guides they can provide you with, or they might have a number of technicians already working for them and their clients. See if they offer phone support and when. If you want to handle the ATM installation yourself, you might want to make sure you do so during business hours in case you need to call with questions.

You can always hire a local third-party professional ATM technician to help you with the ATM installation. Costs will vary based on the distance a technician is from your location, but plan to budget around $350 for this service. It’s well-worth it to ensure that the ATM installation goes smoothly, and you can get training simultaneously.

Watch and learn. Ask questions. Take notes. A lot of technicians will also let you film part or all of the process. Then you can just refer back to it later.

7. Test the ATM Installation

Finally, test your machine once it’s installed. You want to identify any mistakes, error codes, or other problems before a customer does. All it takes is making a test transaction on your machine. 

You should actually do this every time you vault your machine. Dispensing the wrong bills can be a very costly mistake. Your machine might give a customer too much, and you won’t notice unless an honest person alerts someone to the issue. Or, you could short a customer and have to deal with complaints, chargebacks, and journal requests. This can have long-term consequences if customers lose trust in your machine and your service.

It takes seconds to make a test transaction, and you can often get ATM fee reimbursement from your bank. 

Ready for ATM Installation?

Hopefully this list of ATM installation tips helps you feel more comfortable with the process. If you follow these guidelines, you shouldn’t have any problems. Remember that professional help is always available. 

If you purchase an ATM from ATMDepot.com, we can arrange for the ATM to be professionally installed for you by a certified ATM technician. We recommend a professional installation for your first machine. We can also arrange training during the installation for no additional charge if you’d like to learn how to operate your ATM.

Questions or inquiries? Contact us today!

ATM Routes for Sale: Pros and Cons

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Purchasing ATM routes for sale is one of a few ways to make money with an ATM business. Whether you are thinking about Starting an ATM Business or you’ve already started with one or more machines of your own, you might wonder if purchasing an ATM route is a viable option for you.

Like we say all of the time, no two ATM businesses look the same. Your business should be curated to fit your specific budget and goals. There is more than one way to be successful in the ATM industry. ATM routes for sale might be one way for you, or it might not. How will you know? Keep reading to find out some pros and cons of purchasing an ATM route. We’ll explain what the process typically looks like and share our personal recommendation.

Pros of ATM Routes for Sale

Make Passive Income

One of the biggest benefits of an ATM business is the potential to make relatively passive income, regardless of how you start. Passive income means that your ATM machines make money while you sleep, travel, work another job, etc. So you are making money on each transaction made on your machines without having to be there.

But, the more time and effort you spend maintaining your machines, the less passive that income becomes. So when we say “relatively passive,” we mean that it depends on your level of experience, the number of machines on your route, and the number of operational tasks you outsource.

The more machines you have, the more work you will need to invest in your ATM business. However, you will still probably work the same if not less hours than a typical 9-5. Plus, you get to be your own boss, and you have the opportunity to replace or exceed your current 9-5 salary.

Low Overhead/Low Expenses

Purchasing an ATM route for sale will require a large initial investment (more on this later). But this cost and others associated with the business are much less than other business models. For example, you don’t need to purchase, lease, or rent real estate for a storefront. You don’t have to spend time and money on online ads and other marketing. And you don’t have to pay many (if any) employees. 

Once you make the initial investment in an ATM route and vault cash, costs after that are limited. The most essential are travel, maintenance (cleaning supplies, receipt paper, tech support if applicable, and revenue share with the location owner and any other third-party services you might use. 

Your biggest expense will be the one-time initial investment. After that, any costs associated with improving your machines and your business are fairly low, can be added at any time, and can be budgeted as your revenue steadies or increases. 

Simple Process

Buying an ATM route is the easiest way to start an ATM business. All you have to do is search for an ATM route for sale, pay the seller, and take over the operation of all of the machines on the route. 

These machines are already installed, have contracts in place, and some even include training. This removes a lot of the work associated with finding your own locations, purchasing equipment, and installing the machines.

Avoid Negotiating Locations

Negotiating locations is one of the biggest hurdles among independent ATM deployers (IADs). Although there are many strategies for simplifying and perfecting this process, purchasing an ATM route eliminates this task. Rather than spend your time approaching businesses to negotiate a placement, you can purchase a route of ATMs that are already established.

This can translate into more passive revenue and profit because you don’t have to pay yourself for the time it takes to travel to various locations, make and attend meetings, and negotiate with location owners. With that work already done, you can start making money sooner by purchasing an established ATM route.

Cons of ATM Routes for Sale

Expectation vs. Reality

It’s important to realistically manage your expectations when it comes to purchasing an ATM route. There are professionals and sellers who will make big promises (hundreds of thousands of dollars a year!) that might not be realistic for everyone. 

Yes, some investors make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year with a large fleet of ATM machines (100+). But this requires a large initial investment, a lot of time and effort, and experience. You might consider purchasing an ATM route that makes $40k/year, but unless you have the experience necessary to keep those machines operational and maintain those merchant relationships, you risk making a lot less.

Dishonest Sellers

Most ATM routes for sale will provide an estimated yearly earning amount. This way you can weigh your investment against the potential return. However, this number is contingent upon the seller’s honesty. One of the downfalls of purchasing an established ATM route is that you don’t get the chance to vet the locations or choose merchants you want to work with. 

Sellers will omit any negative details about the locations. Sure, most sellers want to make a bigger profit off of their established route, but others are struggling to make a profit and need out. Maybe they are just inexperienced. Or maybe the locations don’t perform well, the contracts weren’t fairly drafted, or the merchants are difficult to work with. All of these factors will be out of your control when you purchase an established route. 

You also want to inquire about the contract lengths. There is little sense in buying an ATM location with only one year left on the agreement because if the merchant decides not to renew the contract, that one year might not be enough to earn back your initial investment. So make sure the seller is honest about how long the locations are guaranteed for.

Lose Money

While an ATM route does have the potential to earn you A LOT of money, there is also the risk of losing money. This is especially true if you are new to the ATM business and are inexperienced. Unless you know how to keep the machines operational, monitor trends by analyzing the journal, and work with merchants and other vendors, you could lose money. 

ATM machines don’t make money while they aren’t functional. Machines lose out on transactions and revenue if the surcharge fee isn’t competitive and strategically set. Merchants can void or fail to renew contracts if you don’t show them the benefit of working with you.

So an ATM route of 10 machines making $50k a year could end up being a lot less if you aren’t able to keep the machines operational and the merchants satisfied.

Lots of Work

The bigger the ATM route, the more money you can make. However, the more machines you operate, the more work you will have to do. Maintaining a route of 50-100 or more machines can turn into a full-time job. So unless you want to replace your current full-time job with an ATM route, you might be better off making supplemental income with up to 10 machines for just a few hours a week.

You also want to consider distance. How far will you have to travel to the farthest machine on the route? Or, how far apart are the locations on the route? A route in a concentrated area or zip code will be much easier to manage than a route spread out across the state. So think about travel time and costs when checking out routes, too.

There are a few things you need to do to keep your machines up and running. You have to monitor and analyze the activity on each machine to make sure it never runs out of cash. You have to travel to each machine to stock it with cash (unless you outsource the vaulting). And you have to address any bugs, outages, error codes, or damages. 

Multiply this work by the number of machines in the route you want to buy. Weigh your potential earnings against the time you will spend on the business to see if it will be worth it for you.  

How to Find ATM Routes for Sale

All it takes is a simple internet search to find listings in your area. You can search “ATM routes for sale + zip code” or expand your search to include a whole city. It just depends on how far you are willing to travel.

You can also sometimes find sellers in ATM Facebook groups and communities. You might have seen some already and wondered what a route entails and why someone would sell. Usually the poster will explain, but again, you have to rely on their honesty or do your own research to verify the details.

How Much Do ATM Routes Cost?

This is a difficult question to answer definitively since numbers and factors vary widely. However, here are a few examples based on recent listings on BizQuest:

There is a listing in Kansas City, Missouri asking $50,000 for 18 locations making around $30,000 a year. In Texas, there is a route of 11 high-end locations making $30,000 a year in Austin and a larger route of 110 ATMs making $477,000 a year for $1.5 million. And in Los Angeles, California, you could purchase a route of 5 ATMs for $90,000 with an estimated cash flow of $35,000 a year.

Add to these numbers, though, the amount of cash needed to vault the machines. If you vault with your own money, you will need to factor the amount of vault cash into your investment total. The exact amount will depend on the transaction volume of each machine. The seller should be able to provide you with a specific number. 

Should You Buy an ATM Route?

When it comes to the question of should you buy an ATM route, it can only be answered by you. Only you know your budget, your time, and your goals when it comes to operating an ATM business. 

However, based on the risks involved with purchasing an ATM route, we recommend doing this as a way to scale your business rather than starting out this way. It is better to find your own locations, purchase your own equipment, and learn the business inside and out before venturing into existing ATM routes.

The less you know about the ATM machines and the business, the more mistakes you are prone to make. It’s better to make your mistakes on a small scale with a few machines than on a large route. Yes, there are smaller routes available; there is a route of 5 currently available in Los Angeles. But you still need enough experience to be able to confidently maintain those machines and those contracts. There are so many more unknowns when buying an existing route than there are when you find your own locations.

Once you get comfortable with your own machine(s), then you can look into purchasing an ATM route to scale your business. But we’ll let you in on a little secret: It is more profitable for you to build your own route and then sell it than it is to purchase someone else’s!

If you can get a good deal on a route and good locations, there is definitely money to be made. But buying an ATM route as a beginner will end up costing you more than just starting from scratch. If you’d like to learn more about starting your own ATM business, find out more at ATMDepot.com and get your ATM Start-Up Kit today!

Becoming an Independent ATM Deployer: FAQs

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Becoming an independent ATM deployer (IAD) is a great way to generate passive income. It can also become your main source of income depending on your individual goals. But while becoming an IAD is quite simple, it isn’t necessarily easy. 

There are some industry ins and outs you will need to become familiar with before you really get going. So you will have to put a little work into getting started. Fortunately, there are a ton of resources and experienced IADs available to help you every step of the way (and there really aren’t that many steps). 

To help get you past any pre-business jitters you might be experiencing or any other obstacles that might be standing in your way, we’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions from new IADs. Our hope is to remove as many hurdles as possible so that you feel confident going into business for yourself as an IAD.  

What is an Independent ATM Deployer?

An IAD is an individual (or a company) who owns and operates ATMs without being affiliated with any specific financial institution. A common misconception is that all ATMs are owned by banks. But ATMs can be deployed in various locations such as retail stores, gas stations, salons, and other public places. Just like bank-owned ATMs, independent ATMs offer cash withdrawal and sometimes additional services like balance inquiries and transfers.

An IAD works with an independent sales organization (ISO) that provides processing. This is how an independent ATM machine is able to communicate with users’ financial institutions to provide account information and approve or deny withdrawal requests. It is an IAD’s job to purchase ATM equipment, place it in a location that provides customers with convenient access to their accounts, and maintain the machine to keep it functional. 

How Can I Become an Independent ATM Deployer?

You can become an IAD in just a few simple steps. First, there is some documentation you need to prepare. You will need to prove your identity, pass a background check, and complete any agreement forms required by your ATM processing company. This documentation might include your ATM business bank account information so that the processing company knows where to send your settlement funds and surcharge income (more on this later).

You also need to find a bank that will work with your ATM business. This can be tricky, so keep reading for more information on finding a bank to work with. Next, you want to purchase your ATM equipment. This can include the machine and any upgrades or ad-ons you’d like. At the very minimum, you will need a machine. The rest can come later depending on your budget (cost estimates coming up next!).

Once you have the ATM machine, you can begin to learn the functions (most new ATM machines come preprogrammed). Review the manual, test it out, and practice operating it. The only thing that’s left to do is to find a location to place it.

When you find a location that can benefit from having an ATM onsite, and the location owner agrees to work with you, you can plug the machine in, connect it to the internet, load it with cash, and start making money! And THAT is how you become an independent ATM deployer.

How Much Does It Cost to Start an ATM Business?

There are some startup costs associated with starting an ATM business, just like there are with any business. However, compared to most other businesses, ATM business startup costs are fairly low. The biggest expenses will be the purchase of the machine itself and the cash you use to vault the machine.

ATM Equipment

We recommend that new IADs start with a new ATM machine. They are user-friendly, compliant, programmed, and typically experience fewer technical problems. New machines run from around $2,000-$3,000 depending on the size and manufacturer. Of course, you can find used and refurbished machines for a little less, but they also come with a modicum of risk.

Once you feel a little more comfortable and confident with ATM equipment, you can look into used and refurbished machines for future placements. But you will want to make sure that all faulty parts have been replaced or repaired, software has been updated, and that it is compliant.

Vault Cash

The other major startup cost is the vault cash. This is the cash that you load into the machine to be dispensed to your ATM users. Plan to start with about $2,000. 

At the end of each business day, your ATM processing company will deposit the sum of all cash withdrawn from your machine back to your settlement account, or your ATM business bank account. Then, you can withdraw the funds back from this account when you are ready to restock the machine, so on and so forth. Vault cash is yours at the end of the day, but it is tied up in your machine, so try not to think of it as cash you are able to use.

Other Costs

Other costs associated with operating an ATM business include receipt paper, any cleaning supplies you need to maintain your machine, travel to and from the machine, insurance if you have the budget to purchase it right away, and a wireless device.

It’s a good idea to just invest in your own internet connection from the start. That way you don’t have to rely on the location’s internet service. If their internet goes down, you will be at their mercy and that of their service provider to get back up and running. And the time that your machine isn’t operational is time that you aren’t making money.

How Can I Make Money as an Independent ATM Deployer?

You make money as an IAD from the surcharge fee. This is the fee that you set for each transaction made on your machine. It’s the price your customers pay for convenient access to their accounts. A standard surcharge fee is about $3 but can be as high as $8 and even more in some locations. It depends on the type of location, average withdrawal amount, and convenience of the ATM.

Before you can start to make a profit, you need to make back as much as you put into the business. Your surcharge fee and revenue split with the location owner will determine how quickly you make your ROI and can begin to profit.

You can expect to make a few hundred dollars a month, a few thousand a year, with one machine. But remember that this is passive income. Your machine makes money while you work your day job, travel, sleep…. Once you get the hang of the business, you can start adding more machines to your portfolio. Soon, that few thousand a year can turn into tens of thousands a year so that you are making full-time income.

How Do I Get a Bank Account for an ATM Business?

It can be tricky to get a bank to work with your ATM business. Because of the cash-heavy nature of the business, banks can be held liable for your business practices. Therefore, banks that handle ATM business accounts are subject to costly audits to help monitor and prevent money laundering. 

Our number one tip when it comes to finding a bank is to start where you already have a good relationship. If you already know your bank manager or tellers well or have had accounts with them for years, make an appointment to speak with someone about opening an account for your ATM business.

Some banks will flat out say no; some banks don’t handle these types of accounts at all. Others might use their discretion on a case-by-case basis. So if you are turned down from one financial institution, be polite, patient, and understanding, and move on. 

To make yourself a more appealing customer, offer to open multiple accounts. The more products and services you purchase, the more lucrative you will be as a customer and the less likely the bank will be to close your ATM business account. Your settlement account will often have a low balance as you withdraw the funds to vault your machine, and it will take extra time and money for the bank employees to order and count enough cash for your business needs. So prove to them that you’re worth their time.

Some IADs have success at banks that others don’t and vice versa. Our list of ATM business-friendly banks is a good place to start, but don’t rule out local, regional, community banks. Sometimes, they are under less scrutiny than tier 1 financial institutions and might be more likely to take on your business.

How Do I Find a Location for an ATM Deployment?

There are a few tips to keep in mind when it comes to looking for a location to place your ATM machine.

The first, again, is to start where you have good relationships. What are some businesses that you frequent and even know some of the employees? This could be a good way to get your foot in the door or even get a referral.

Look for gaps in service. Where do you see a need for an ATM where there currently isn’t one? Find out who owns the location or property and see if they wouldn’t mind a free ATM placement.

And obviously, look for places that experience a lot of foot traffic like shopping centers, event areas, or other attractions.  Statistically, the more people who pass by your machine, the more transactions you are likely to see. Cash-only locations are great spots as well as new businesses that haven’t been approached yet for ATM service.

Even if a location already has a machine, find out if they are happy with it. It doesn’t hurt to ask, and you could end up replacing someone else’s machine that’s been neglected.

What Are the Advantages of Becoming an Independent ATM Deployer?

There are many advantages to becoming an independent ATM deployer. First and foremost is being your own boss. Each ATM business looks different. There are a lot of decisions you get to make based on your own specific situation, needs, and goals. Your ATM business is yours to curate.

That includes curated responsibilities. As an IAD, you can outsource any aspects of the business you can’t or don’t want to handle, whether it be vaulting or cleaning or maintenance.

Which brings us to the most appealing advantage of becoming an independent ATM deployer: generating passive income. Your ATM machine works with very little onsite effort from you. Aside from loading the machine and regular cleaning and maintenance (all of which you can hire out if you want), you can go about your regular life and watch those revenue deposits hit your account.

Finally, the ATM business is scalable. Want to make a little more passive income? Place a second machine. Want to replace your 9-5 income? Invest in 10 or more machines. You’re in control. And you don’t even need any official business or entrepreneur education, training, certification, or experience to get started.

What Are the Challenges and Risks Associated with Being an Independent ATM Deployer?

Like any other business venture, there are some challenges and risks associated with being an IAD. But there are also ways to mitigate and handle them.

Challenges

The first challenge might be the initial funding. However, since good ATM machines are about $2,000-$3,000, you can sometimes find credit companies that offer little to no interest for 12-18 months. That gives you time to get your business up and running so that you can start to pay off your machine as soon as you start to generate income rather than purchasing the machine outright.

Another big challenge for IADs is finding and negotiating locations. But there are a couple of things to remember here: 

First, you don’t have to limit your search to locations without an ATM machine. You could be looking for machines that are old, unkempt, or frequently out of order. This could be a great opportunity to approach a location that clearly wants ATM service but can’t keep up with it on their own or is dissatisfied with their current provider.

Second, it helps instill confidence in new IADs to remember that they aren’t selling anything. As an IAD, you are offering a service—for free—that benefits the location and its customers. 

There are a number of objections you might encounter when approaching location owners to negotiate a placement. But with preparation, practice, and active listening skills, you can become better at addressing these. 

An obstacle that isn’t unique to the ATM business is imposter syndrome. It can be particularly daunting to try to negotiate a deal when you don’t have any experience under your belt. But you can also spin this in your favor by emphasizing your dedication to just ONE machine and your motivation to provide service that’s good enough for a referral or recommendation in the future.

Risks

As with any business, again, you risk not making money. But unlike other businesses, your ATM investment probably won’t bankrupt you, and you can always move your machine to a better-performing location. 

Actually, let us take that back. It’s really hard to lose money with an ATM business. As long as it’s up and running, if someone uses it, it will make money. However, it might not bring in enough quickly enough, and that is a potential risk that can be solved by relocating the machine or adjusting your signage, advertising, surcharge rate, and/or incentives.

Safety and security can be a risk as well. When it comes to the safety of your business, just make sure you protect yourself with contracts. There are templates you can use and industry experts you can borrow from without having to get a lawyer involved. 

When it comes to the safety and security of your machine, there are lots of things you can do to protect your assets. You can also prevent potential risks and unnecessary challenges by avoiding some of the most common small business mistakes. 

How Can I Ensure the Safety and Security of My ATMs?

The first thing you can do is to purchase general liability insurance. There are other, more comprehensive policies you can invest in, too, but general liability is pretty standard. While insurance isn’t preventative, it can provide you with peace of mind and protect you in the long run. 

Second, use common knowledge. Make sure that the machine is within eyesight of employees and/or security cameras (some machines come with a camera which is a great way to deter crime). Don’t place the machine in an area that is easy to breach like near doors or windows. If you want to, you can invest in your own surveillance system (cheap cameras can be purchased on Amazon, for example) or GPS tracker for your cash. And bolt down the machine. Don’t let a location owner talk you out of it.

Most of the time, a simple sign that announces that the machine is under constant surveillance is enough to deter criminals. But try to predict weaknesses or potential points of ingress and reinforce them. Blocking the machine against a wall or other furniture can prevent both external attacks and internal attacks like software hacking. 

Maintaining current software updates can help protect your customer data as well. And keeping up with compliance changes can help protect you and your customers. 

Finally, keep an irregular vaulting schedule. Don’t make it easy for someone to predict and plan when you and the machine will be vulnerable. It’s also a good idea to vault the machine outside of the location’s hours of operation so that there is less foot traffic during vaulting.

Is An ATM Business Worth It?

Only you can answer this question. We will say that an ATM business is worth it for thousands of IADs in the United States. If it works for them, it could work for you. You don’t need any official education, training, certification, or experience to get started in the ATM business. And once you get past those few initial steps, you can start making money immediately with little to no marketing efforts.

Your success as an independent ATM deployer is completely up to you. The process is simple, but don’t expect it to be easy. It will require some effort. You will need to plan, be organized, and make well-informed decisions. Fortunately, you don’t have to do any of it alone. 

If you work with an ATM processing company like ATMDepot.com, they will walk you through each step. Do your research, ask lots of questions, and start making passive income! How much is up to you. Ready to get started? Get your free ATM start-up kit today!