Most businesses start with one ATM, and for most, one is right. But some venues reach a point where a second machine stops being a luxury and becomes the obvious next step. Here’s how to recognize it.
Five signs you’ve outgrown one machine
1. There’s a line at peak. If customers queue for the ATM on Friday night, at halftime or at the top of the lunch rush, some of them give up. A second machine — often at the other end of the room — cuts the wait and keeps people spending.
2. You have more than one entrance or area. A large bar with a patio, a venue with a main floor and a mezzanine, a market with two gates, a casino floor with several pinch points: one ATM can’t be visible from everywhere. Customers use what they can see.
3. One machine can’t hold enough cash for your busiest days. A single ATM sized for an average Tuesday can run low on a holiday weekend. A second machine adds capacity, so there’s more cash available at peak.
4. You can’t afford downtime. Every machine needs occasional service. With two, one can keep working while the other is serviced — though both still depend on power and connectivity, so a site-wide outage affects both.
5. You host events. Festivals, tournaments, watch parties and private functions bring a crowd that a single ATM wasn’t placed for. A second permanent machine — or a temporary one for the event — keeps the day running.
What a second machine costs
With a full-service placement, the same as the first: nothing. We supply, install, load, monitor and service each machine at no cost, and there’s no minimum volume. You provide an outlet and a little floor space.
How we approach it
When a venue asks about a second ATM, we start the same way we start every placement — with a location review. We look at where customers come in, where they queue, where the first machine is and isn’t visible, and where a second one would actually get used. Sometimes the answer is a second machine; sometimes it’s moving the first one six feet. We’ll tell you which.
Do you need one?
If you recognized two or more of the signs above, it’s worth a conversation. Request a free ATM, mention you already have one, and we’ll take it from there. For the fundamentals, see our plain-English guide to ATM placement and our advice on where to put an ATM.