[disneysteve]

UPDATE: DD and I stopped at a different BOA location today to make a deposit. I was hoping that they hadn't installed the new ATM yet but they had. I had told DD about it after the first visit and now she got to see what I was talking about. Plus, I had 5 checks to deposit today so the real flaw in the system was much more apparent and it was just as bad as I had suspected.

We inserted the first check. The scanner wasn't able to accurately read the amount, so it asks me to enter the amount of the check. That's great, except I've already inserted the check into the ATM and all you are showing me is a scan that the computer couldn't deciper. I enter what I think is the right amount. Then it shows an enlarged view of the check and asks if that is the correct amount. Once we see the enlarged view, I see that the amount I entered isn't correct so I need to re-enter it correctly. All of that to deposit one check. I had 4 more to do. Three of the four were read correctly by the scanner. One more had to be manually entered by me.

The whole transaction took several minutes and generated a receipt that is 13-3/4 inches long. A normal ATM transaction takes about 30 seconds and prints out a 4-inch receipt. And this is better why exactly? The little sign at the ATM says using the ATM has never been easier. I don't know what they're smoking but this sure as heck isn't easier.

From now on, I'm going to have to go back to using a teller to make my deposits. And I will definitely be speaking with the branch manager and letting her know why. If their goal is to increase teller transactions, this will surely do it, if it doesn't drive customers away all together. If I didn't have so many things tied into my account, auto pay, online banking, etc., I would seriously consider changing banks. Of course, if other banks adopt the same machines, it wouldn't make a difference.