Who owns ATM management? Why it’s often unclear - Brink's US

When there are multiple vendors and multiple teams involved, how do you know who controls overall ATM management? If second-line maintenance and cash pickup are handled by separate entities, who leads if one of these services goes down?

Split ATM responsibility

Many financial institutions create separate contracts for front-line maintenance, second-line maintenance, cash forecasting, transaction processing and cash pickup services, with ATM responsibilities spread over IT, Operations, and Finance. Not only can this disparate apportionment between departments result in communication difficulties, it also affects the bottom line. Additional operational expenses can creep up due to overlapping charges and gaps in accountability. Here at Brink’s, we’ve seen up to 20% higher ATM costs from divided responsibilities.¹

This is why consolidating ATM management makes sense both practically and financially.

By outsourcing ATM management to Brink’s, you can create a united, less chaotic environment. We partner with financial institutions to streamline ATM management, optimize performance, enhance security, and drive strategic growth — all while protecting your brand’s reputation.

The effects of ATM inefficiency

Banks often feel pressure to reduce operating expenses while maintaining or expanding their ATM footprints. Without clear management control, these initiatives can get derailed quickly. Here’s how:

• Costs. Multiple vendors and inefficient cash replenishment create idle cash in machines. That translates to lost capital.
• Operational strain. Challenges include trying to maintain uptime targets, fewer skilled resources, and frequent security updates.
• Distraction. Time and effort spent on ATMs take the focus away from customers and other core business responsibilities.

Real-world Impact of ATM consolidation

By unifying ATM functions, financial institutions can increase uptime, reduce costs, improve working capital, and enhance team communication. Brink’s ATM management services delivers business results for our customers:

• A European financial institution achieved 20% savings by outsourcing maintenance, cash in transit (CIT) and forecasting to Brink’s.
• A regional U.S. bank improved uptime from 96% to 98.5% with Brink’s proactive monitoring and integrated service.
• A Latin American bank reduced idle cash holdings by 30% using Brink’s forecasting tools, freeing $15M in working capital.
• A European financial institution went from five separate vendor contracts to one Brink’s contract, cutting procurement and administration time by up to 50%.

Benefits of Brink’s centralized ownership

Brink’s provides cash services for 300,000 ATMs worldwide and manages or owns 170,000. We have significant expertise and a vast network, undertaking in excess of one billion ATM transactions a year, while acting as a single point of contact managing our customers’ ATM programs.

Some reasons for trusting Brink’s with your ATM network:

• OEM agnostic — no need to replace devices, we take over the fleet as-is
• Compatible with any software — we manage all required upgrades and, patching.
• Asset life extension — refurbishment can add three to five years to ATM hardware.
• Vendor flexibility — customers can outsource any or all ATM-related services to Brink’s.
• Lower costs of ownership — Save up to 30%¹ more compared to ATM managers that limit ATM equipment types.

These days it’s harder than ever to manage ATMs. Brink’s is here to make it easier. Contact us to find out more about Brink’s ATM management services.

¹Results are based on a customer case study. Individual results may vary based on customer-specific facts and circumstances.