The Bottom Line Is, This Is A Business
Apr 20 '00
A business; what is it and what is it's main function? A business provides a product or a service, right? One goal of a business is to make money right? A business has overhead expenses, right?
So why should we expect our banks to be any different from any other business? Are we to believe that banks exist solely to be a convenience for us?
Nawwww, I didn't think you would feel this way.
Epinions asked:
"Should banks charge non-customers fees to use their ATMs?"
I say yes. And I ask you, why shouldn't they? Some college's charge more for out of state students, some long distance carriers charge more for nonmembers than members. Heck even Epinions treats members and nonmembers differently, with different benefits and options.
I expect extra perks from the companies that I am loyal to. In this day and age there are at minimum a handful of companies that can meet my needs so when I choose one I expect them to bend over backwards to thank me for my patronage and to give me added benefits over, say my sister who chooses another company.
ATM machines are expensive. I don't know how much the one at my bank costs, but I bet it's a pretty penny. I love the convenience of being able to run up to that little box and withdraw my money and not have my bank charge me for this wonderful option.
However, when I'm visited that machine two days ago I looked around and let me tell you some of the things I noticed.
1) Electricity The machine runs on electricity. The security door runs on electricity. The lighting in the area of the ATM uses electricity. The security camera that films the area and gives me a bit more of a secure feeling (thank you TCF) runs on electricity. Last time I checked electricity costs money (um....thank you NSP).
2) Paper When I made a withdrawal I got a receipt. This receipt came on paper. When I have used the ATM to make a deposit, this deposit went into an envelope and also contained a deposit slip; both made of paper. Last time I checked paper costs money.
3) Wages When I made my withdrawal money came out. Imagine that! Do I think that this ATM machine printed that money in there? If so then please, someone tell me where I can buy my own! Nope, I'm smart enough to know that someone fills that ATM machine with money from my bank. Someone also takes the deposits out of there and brings them to my bank, where someone else processes these transactions, and so on, and so on...... I think you get the picture. Last time I checked wages were generally paid in money.
So you see, it costs money to run an ATM. This money has to come from somewhere, and as a loyal customer of my bank I appreciate this and am willing to pay my share via the fees that I pay my bank (well not me personally as I use accounts that don't cost.....but there are interest payments, etc.). I am not willing to pay for my sisters use of the ATM my bank provides for it's customers, unless she is willing to pay her share by way of ATM fee's that are charged to nonmembers.
I could speculate that nonmember usage fees are another way of ensuring that the services of the ATM are there when I want to use them and not "used up" (empty machine) when I want to make use of them.
After all, if she didn't want to pay the nonmember fees, she could use her own bank now, couldn't she?
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Epinions.com ID:
IrishMa4
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Member: Bobbie Jean Knealing
Location: Kenyon, Minnesota
Reviews written: 232
Trusted by: 342 members
About Me:
Avon Independent Sales Rep http://www.youravon.com/bknealing
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