Conventionally, a financial institution (e.g., a bank) that operates automatic teller machines (ATMs) allows persons who are not customers of the institution (hereinafter “non-customers” or “off-us customers”) to use the institution's ATMs. A financial institution that allows non-customers to use its ATMs conventionally charges non-customers a usage (or convenience) or other fee each time the non-customer uses an ATM of the institution. Such usage and other fees provide revenue for the institution. The amount of revenue is directly impacted by the number of ATM uses by non-customers. Moreover, non-customers will sometimes become customers of the institution, and an ATM transaction by a non-customer presents an opportunity to provide a favorable impression to a non-customer and to market the institution's services. Multiple opportunities to influence a non-customer to become a customer is desirable. Thus, it is desirable for a financial institution to develop a strategy to encourage non-customers to continue or increase use of the institution's ATMs and to engender loyalty among non-customers to the institution.
With conventional systems and methods, the communications presented to non-customers may leave the non-customer with the impression that the non-customer is not welcome. For example, conventionally, a non-customer's transaction may comprise only the prompting and receipt of the usual information (PIN number, transaction desired, and an amount) plus a statement that the non-customer is to be charged a service fee.
Conventional methods and systems do not provide effective means to carry out a strategy to encourage non-customers to continue or increase use of the institution's ATMs and to engender loyalty among non-customers to the institution. Further, conventional methods and systems do not provide effective mechanisms for maintaining a record of non-customers' use of a financial institution's ATMs for use in providing targeted messages or loyalty programs to non-customers on subsequent visits to the financial institution's ATMs.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds