Botswana’s largest bank Barclays plans rolling out intelligent cash deposit automatic teller machines (ATMs) across the country.

Barclays Bank of Botswana has partnered with South African headquartered Bytes Managed Solutions, for the installation of intelligent cash deposit ATMs, which lets customers bank outside of branches.

The machines accept cash deposits with real time credit capability, recycle deposited cash, dispense cash, do cheque deposits, and offer other services such as bill payment, funds transfer, mobile phone top-up and mini-statements.

Bytes, in a statement, says the ATMs are designed for high transaction usage by NCR Corporation, a US firm specialising in consumer transaction technologies. Bytes is also an exclusive distributor of NCR technology solutions in southern Africa.
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“Working with Bytes to roll out the NCR solution gives Barclays Bank of Botswana a significant competitive advantage as the only bank in Botswana offering multi-functional services through these intelligent ATMs,” says Malebogo Sebusang, head of channels at for Barclays Bank of Botswana.

The statement from Bytes; though, notes that “substantial adjustments had to be made to the ATMs for the Botswana market.”

“Currency note templates had to be developed and then tested rigorously for correct note detection and rejection. The Project Management Office at Bytes worked extensively with NCR subject matter experts and Barclays Bank of Botswana to ensure maximum accuracy,” says the statement.