This is the information market, not the information age.

FNB‘s use of ATMs as a communication interface with their customers has won the ATM Global Industry Awards‘s Software category, (Beats me why I get emailed a press release, oh, and their website is UGLY) so well done to them, and shame on Standarbank who to the best of my knowledge, still have not fixed the critical flaw in their ATM system. The one in which they have their machines spit out the cash before returning your card. Yes one should be aware, alert etc. when dealing with cash – especially in this town, but in this town many of us are on the run(multiple interpretation welcome). You go to the machine to get money, you get your money – and at what happens at that point in what design psychology gurus call ‘closure’. This is akin perhaps to a little banner being deployed somewhere in the convoluted over-worked under-appreciated recesses of your mind that reads ‘Mission Accomplished!’ – yea we’ve all heard that before.

Of course advertising goes everywhere, so it was just a matter of time. But if you have to advertise try and limit the friction in the process, so rather than paying some telemarketing company to phone me right when I’m desperately hacking my way through the trial and tribulations of a frustrating day – to inform me of some new offer – like Nedbank to whom I used to be quite loyal – has done on a few occasions, rather put it where i expect to see it. A little politeness goes a long long way in relationships, especially commercial relationships, disrespect customers at your peril.