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Whoa! What’s a TAP Teller?

Are you ready for a slick new option to TAP your way to cash and easily request teller transactions? At CUA we strive to make technology simple for our members and our staff through services that are easy to use, easy to explain, and benefit our members.

Last year CUA began making plans to implement TAP (Transaction Assist Professional) Tellers at numerous branches. These are sometimes referred to as Intelligent ATMs or ITMs. They are a step above STMs, or Smart Teller Machines. And Smart ATMs are smarter than regular ATMS. Getting confused? We did too. So, here’s a short course in teller machines:

ATM –  withdraw cash and check your balance.

Smart ATM (STM) – withdraw cash, check your balance, and make deposits.

TAP Teller (ITM) – allows you to work face to face with a teller for assistance in banking transactions through a simple TAP of the screen and easy verification of identity by debit card or driver’s license.

Still have questions? We thought you might. Why spend money on machines when we already have tellers? What about your favorite teller, will they lose their job? Luckily, we’ve had lots of practice with a test machine to ensure we could provide answers to all your questions before we launched the first TAP Tellers at our South Broadway and East Harry locations.

What is TAP Teller?  It’s a sophisticated ATM that allows you to conduct teller transactions either by providing identification or establishing your identity with your Debit card. Big deal, you could do that with your neighborhood teller too, right? Well you still can, your options on the screen allow you to tap the screen to indicate that you want to proceed with your card (if you’re in a non-talking mood). If you’d like the assistance of a CUA professional, you choose the TAP button and your teller will appear on the screen and converse real time with you. You can deposited a checks (as well as cash). The machine is accommodating, the check could face up or down. And within a couple of seconds, really, just seconds, an image of the check will appear on the screen for confirmation. The machine also handles home equity advances, loan payments, VISA payments, and cash withdrawals. The full function of the TAP teller is available during normal business hours. After hours the machine works like a Smart ATM that handles withdrawals and accepts deposits, but not payments or loan advances. And, if you’d like a bit more privacy than yelling across the muffler-less engine in the next lane, or from the standing-to-close person behind you, the TAP machines have a phone handset where you can talk to the teller more discreetly and confidentially.

Why would your credit union replace tellers with TAP machines? We are not replacing humans with machines. One, that wouldn’t be very “friendly”. Two, the tellers still are employed. Three, we’re streamlining the process of handling your transactions with a more efficient and versatile tool. There will also be more consistency in service. Centralizing staff (think of how you make your dinner reservations in Spaceship Earth, at Disney’s Epcot.) at one location allows us to provide more in-depth training, more full-time positions with longer tenure, and tellers will all be in one location with quicker access to management for unusual circumstances requiring approvals.

A great deal was considered before investing in this technology. It’s been proven that these machines provide a more secure environment for members and tellers, as cash is not accessible without a transaction, therefore deterring robberies. 

The machines help us identify fraudulent cash that you may not be aware of. This protects our members and the Credit Union’s resources. There will be shorter wait times as machines “replace” the need for some transaction approvals. And, you’ll experience better service in our lobbies as staff will be even more focused on member needs of new services or loan/account issues. 

Lastly, no one lost their job due to TAP Tellers. With tellers being officed at a central location we can manage staffing and service delivery times more effectively across all TAP branches. You might have noticed some movement of staff from branch to branch over the past few months. This was to facilitate TAP teller training and staff reassignments if they didn’t move into a TAP position.

When will Tap be at your branch, you wonder? CUA has plans to install these machines at all branches in the future. They’ll be added to drive-thru lanes and a few lobbies to start with. The first TAP machines have been open for business since March 2019. And we’ll continue adding them to branches when they undergo a remodel or branch update. Tentative dates for TAP availability are:

South Broadway   NOW AVAILABLE! Drive-thru & Lobby 
East Harry NOW AVAILABLE! Drive-thru & Lobby 
Delano NOW AVAILABLE! Drive-thru 
Salina NOW AVAILABLE! Drive-thru & Lobby 
North Rock Wichita NOW AVAILABLE! Drive-thru & Lobby
Pratt NOW AVAILABLE! Drive-thru
Goddard NOW AVAILABLE! Drive-thru & Lobby
Woodlawn NOW AVAILABLE! Drive-thru & Lobby
Ridge Roard NOW AVAILABLE! Drive-thru & Lobby
Great Bend NOW AVAILABLE! Drive-thru & Lobby
Hutchinson NOW AVAILABLE! Drive-thru & Lobby
13th and Maize NOW AVAILABLE! Drive-thru & Lobby
Derby NOW AVAILABLE! Drive-thru


It’s really the best of both worlds. Better, quicker service and you’ll always have the option assistance from a staff member by tapping the screen before or during your transaction. Also, our lobby staff will still be on site to help you with any of your financial needs. 

Experience It!  To be honest, we had our concerns at first too, but found the experience was very quick and painless! It was also much quicker than a long lobby line or waiting for tubes in the drive-thru. Many members are already sold on TAP Tellers, and we hope you will be too. 

Here are a few comments from members who have tried TAP Tellers:

“I can’t wait ‘til all your branches have these!”

“This is slick!”

“It’s so easy!”

“I now have longer hours and more options than before!”

If you have feedback about your experience with a TAP teller or questions, feel free to email us at info@CUofAmerica.com, but please do not include personal information, such as account or social security numbers via email. Or you can reach us at 316.265.3272 or 800.256.8049

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