WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Virtual Banking Debuts In Vermont

Virtual Banking Debuts In Vermont

Burlington, Vermont - December 12, 2002

The Vermont State Employees Credit Union has opened a brand-new branch in Burlington. And while it may look like your average financial institution from the outside, the inside is taking on a futuristic feel. "I came in expecting to see tellers at teller windows," said bank customer Hugh McCaslin. "And they said this is the teller."

These Remote Teller Systems are popping up in Credit Unions nationwide. They combine technological advances with a personal touch. "The remote teller system affords us the opportunity to still provide very friendly, customer member service without having to employ multiple tellers," Yvonne Garand of the VSECU told Channel 3.

And besides saving on staffing costs, the credit union also gets the benefit of a safe environment. The teller is in the branch, but behind locked doors. The virtual tellers, as they're also called, work a lot like a drive-thru banker. "So I fill out my slip and I take this tube and I put my slip in the tube," Garand demonstrated.

Back in a secure room, the teller processes the transaction and returns the pneumatic tube. For those who are worried about privacy, customers can always pick up the phone and conduct business without anyone listening.

The remote teller can be waiting on several customers at once, but consumers who want face-to-face service can always find someone in the lobby.

Caroline Allen - Channel 3 News