ATMIA 2018 conference offers a view to the decade ahead in ATM innovation

By Suzanne Cluckey on ATMmarketplace.com

In 11 days, ATM manufacturers, deployers and hosts of supporting players will gather in Las Vegas for their industry's premier event — the ATMIA US 2018 Conference.

After spending last year celebrating the 50th anniversary of the ATM, looking back over its extraordinary history and indisputable impact on modern banking, this year's conference theme, Innovate and Succeed: The Next Decade for ATMs, serves as a reminder that it's time to put away the party hats and turn our full attention to the future.

"We are very focused on our theme this year ... ," said David Tente, ATMIA executive director for the U.S. region of the international organization. "To be truly successful in this industry in the years ahead, innovation is crucial. New technologies are bringing new opportunities to the ATM channel for all deployers. Cardless transactions, person-to-person transfers, and check cashing at the ATM are among the innovations that many of our speakers and exhibitors will be highlighting."

Workshops

The workshop program — which is covered by attendees' registration fees — is particularly strong this year, Tente said. The program consists of four half-day sessions on Feb. 6.

The workshops run "two-up" in the morning and afternoon, and all look good, so it may come down to a coin toss which to attend.

"We have one [morning workshop] focused on branding and outsourcing, which we think will be of interest to both FIs and IADs," Tente said. "Many are interested in going down that path, but just don't know how to start or what to expect."

An afternoon workshop on ITM and ATM servicing will address service program management from the deployer perspective — including cash loading issues, etc.

According to Tente, past conference attendees have expressed interest in a session on the topic. ATMIA responded with the in-depth ATM-ITM Servicing Forum. The workshop will bring together six presenters with a wide breadth of knowledge on service-related issues.

Following the workshops, a cocktail hour in the exhibit hall will give attendees their first chance to view new industry innovations firsthand, and also the chance to unwind as they chat with vendors and friends from the industry.

Day 1

Every year, the first day of the conference (which, unofficially, is day two if you attended workshops) kicks off with a distinguished keynote speaker and 2018 is no exception.

Formerly Chief Information Officer for the White House during the George W. Bush administration, and now a star of the CBS reality show "Hunted," Payton is an acknowledged expert in internet security, data breaches and Fraud mitigation — and No. 4 on the IFSEC Global list of the world's Top 50 cybersecurity influencers in security and fire in 2017.

Payton will address the audience on the trending topic, "Securing Banking Technology in the Internet of Things."

Another day one highlight is a roundtable discussion with members of the ATMIA Consortium for Next-Gen ATM Networks (breakout session 9 in the agenda).

"ATMIA's industry leadership is on full display with the Consortium for Next-Gen ATM Architecture," Tente said. "This is an industry group of over 90 members creating a framework for a new, app-based ATM architecture. There will be a panel discussion on the initiative in one of our breakouts — and many members will be talking it up in their booths.

Panel members in the breakout session will discuss consortium activities related to standards and technology; customer interface; security; public relations and communications; and governance.

This and 17 other breakouts will fill day one. We can't list them all here, but these are just a few of the highlights:

• Managing branch transformation in a digital world — A panel discussion that aims to provide answers to the sometimes touchy question of how to ensure consistent and meaningful communication with customers in the midst of branch closures and technological change.


• Deep insert skimming: Best practice cardholder protection — This virtually invisible threat originated in Europe and has now made its way across the U.S. Standard antiskimming techniques are useless against it. Find out how new technology can stop the threat in its tracks.


• Cardless ATM transactions: Fad or the future? — Card-free transactions have been a hot topic for more than a year now. A panel composed of two major financial institutions and two independent ATM deployers will give a full overview of cardless transactions and deployer experiences to date.


• The evolving ATM business in a mobile world — Caixabank will share its strategy for using mobile to improve the ATM user experience. Because you've heard it a billion times: The future is mobile. This session will get you thinking that way

Day 2

General sessions make up the half-day agenda, with presentations designed to give attendees help and inspiration as they work to modernize the customer experience at their ATMs, maximize the profitability of their fleet and visualize new opportunities  and challenges on the horizon in a dynamic, digital and fast-moving self-service environment.

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