Most banks now offer ‘hole in the wall’ cash machine facilities. Using these machines you can withdraw cash, check your balance and in some cases even transfer money between accounts. This is often much more convenient for customers, as they offer a 24 hours service.Online Banking: Many banks are now introducing online banking. Using your computer you can connect to the banks computer system and control your day-to-day finances from home. The concept of online banking has enormous benefits to the banks, they can increases their profits while reducing their investment in staff and building.
These cards have recently been introduced in many countries and are called smart cards because they contain a memory chip within the card. They can be credited with an amount of ‘virtual money’ which can then be spent by the card being read by a special machine when you purchase goods or services and this amount is then debited from the card. When all the money on the card is spent, you need to get more virtual money credited to the card.
Supermarkets:
Self scanning of goods is being introduced in many countries. When you buy goods in many large shops you are issued with a scanning device which allows you to scan your purchases as you pick them off the shelf. When it comes to paying for your purchases you know exactly how much it has cost and also has the advantage that the check out staff do not have to take all the products out of one basket, scan it and then repackage it in another basket. In many ways this is ideal for the customer. As it offers convenience and from the shops point of view they can process orders more quickly, with less staff and as a result get much greater profits.