Expert: Mark Hanke - 12/4/2009

Question
1. What is the meaning of "Arrange transaction processing ?" Does it mean that the money withdrawn from the ATM machine will automatically get deposited in the bank account at the end of the business day from the respective banks?

2. What is the Ongoing maintenance required ? Do you recommend the owner to learn these activities by himself ?

3.  Is there anything like insuring the ATM to protect against any wrong transactions or thefts from the ATM machine ?

4. What are the running costs other than the ATM location cost? How much are these costs (may be paper, telephone line etc.) going to be ?

5. What is the percentage uptime or business of ATM machines ?

6. How to track the ATM for ex. the balance money left inside to plan the refill ?

7.What is your price / fee for 'Turn key' project mentioned on your web site to cover the ATM machine,contract with the location etc. to get to 'ready to go condition' ?  

Answer
Hi -

Thanks for your questions. I'll answer them fully here. You will also be able to find these answers and the answers to many more questions in our "ATM Business Owner Guidebook".

Check our site: http://franklinatm.com for more information about the "ATM Business Owner Guidebook"

1. What is the meaning of "Arrange transaction processing ?" Does it mean that the money withdrawn from the ATM machine will automatically get deposited in the bank account at the end of the business day from the respective banks?

   > Each ATM is programmed with a unique terminal number and operating parameters. This information is needed to correct route the funds to the ATM owner's account. When programmed, you will receive the surcharge fees and the vault cash each business day into your bank account.

   Also: we can teach you how to program your ATM. In addition to the ATM BUSINESS OWNER GUIDEBOOK, we have many other ATM TECHNICAL GUIDES to help teach ATM owners the important inner workings of the ATM. Many ATM owners want to learn as much as possible about their machines. We'll teach you as much as you can take!






2. What is the Ongoing maintenance required ? Do you recommend the owner to learn these activities by himself ?
   > Maintenance actions occur in (2) groups: regular PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE to minimize future downtime and CRISIS MAINTENANCE when an ATM is non-functioning. I recommend that ATM owners learn these skills. We have successfully taught many people how to manage their own ATMs. But, if you are not comfortable with tools or too busy running your business to deal with problems, we can arrange for a skilled technician to maintain your ATM. Either way, the amount of maintenance is not very high. Plan on 60 minutes a year for PM activities and 20-30 minutes per crisis event.

   Here are some examples of PM activities:
   > cleaning the cash dispenser of dust (10-20 minutes)
   > replacing the paper roll  (5 minutes)
   > cleaning the card reader  (5 minutes)
   > running a journal to check a transaction (5-10 minutes(

   Some examples of crisis maintenance
   > removing a damaged/torn bill that has jammed the cash dispenser (20-30 minutes)
   > Replacing the card reader (10-20 minutes)
   > replacement the printer (10-20 minutes)
   > verifying dial tone for phone (5 minutes)

   Like I had mentioned above, all these skills can be learned through our technical guidebooks. These guidebooks are free to all our ATM customers. We also offer free 24/7 technical support over the phone.



3.  Is there anything like insuring the ATM to protect against any wrong transactions or thefts from the ATM machine ?
   > Yes, insurance is available for your ATM in the case of theft. Customer disputes for transactions are managed with the use of a journal on the ATM. When a dispute is received, the ATM owner will print transaction records that are stored in the ATM. These records are called a journal.


4. What are the running costs other than the ATM location cost? How much are these costs (may be paper, telephone line etc.) going to be ?
    > Unlike many other companies, Franklin ATM Service does not charge for transaction processing, online internet monitoring, statements or technical support. So that is good news.

    Other common costs:
    > Communication costs are dependent on the type of connection.
          1. dedicated analog phone line: $25-35 monthly for a regular account, $17-$23 for a phone provided by a company that we recommend for business lines
          2. internet connection: $0 per month for a connection with a broadband internet and ethernet cable. Available on specific ATM models
          3. shared analog phone line: typically $0 per month to use a 2nd or 3rd line at the business
          4. Wireless modem (cellular based): plan on $25-$30 per month for an account


5. What is the percentage uptime or business of ATM machines ?
    > Franklin ATM Service provides very reliable machines direct from the factory. The models that we offer for sale have an expected uptime near 100% Most machines have zero downtime issues per month. If your ATM experiences more than 2-3 downtime events per year, that would be unusual,

6. How to track the ATM for ex. the balance money left inside to plan the refill ?
    > We offer a free internet based monitoring system for all ATMs. In addition, we have a number of spreadsheet models that can be used to manage cash demand. These spreadsheet models are provided free to all customers of Franklin ATM Service.


7.What is your price / fee for 'Turn key' project mentioned on your web site to cover the ATM machine,contract with the location etc. to get to 'ready to go condition' ?
    > A typical machine costs between $1800 - $2500. Locating fees for an ATM location average between $400 - $800 depending on the region of the country. Typical installation costs can range from <$100 to $400.


I hope that these are sufficient answers to your questions. You will be able to learn significantly more information directly from our ATM BUSINESS OWNER GUIDEBOOK and then through the FREE Business consulting that Franklin ATM Service provides to all clients.