Year after year, during the Lunar New Year holiday season, the demand for bank payment services reaches its peak. This is because these services are essential, widespread, and linked to the circulation of goods and currencies. Among these services, the ATM service is the most popular, as it is widely used and the demand for it usually increases during the end of the year, especially in industrial and commercial zones where a large number of workers gather for shopping and consumption. Therefore, from the perspective of service users, who are customers of banks, the end of the year is an opportunity to evaluate the quality of service and to assess the preparation and provision of payment services in general and ATM services in particular by each commercial bank and the banking industry as a whole.
On the last working day of the lunar year Quy Mao, preparing to enter the new year, the year of Giap Thin, Mr. Nguyen Duc Lanh – Deputy Director of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) branch in Ho Chi Minh City, evaluated the operation of the ATM system and ATM services during the recent festive period in Ho Chi Minh City and confirmed that they have been successfully completed and met the SBV’s requirements of “Safe, Stable, and Smooth” operation, thus best meeting the needs of customers and people during the end of the year. At the same time, the good results they have achieved and continue to achieve reflect the positive development trend of this service and the progress made compared to previous years:
The first thing to note is the exceptionally high growth in demand for ATM services during the traditional Lunar New Year, especially among citizens and workers in industrial and economic zones who use the card to withdraw cash. However, the operation of the ATM system in Ho Chi Minh City has remained stable, safe, and smooth, ensuring the best possible service for customers. This result reflects the good preparation of the banking industry in general and each commercial bank in particular for the holiday season. To achieve this, banks in the city have established operational procedures, plans, and implementation methods for the Lunar New Year. These include cash deposit processes, monitoring and maintenance procedures, information system maintenance, customer care with a spirit of 24/7 support to promptly handle incidents, timely customer support, and sufficient cash deposits to avoid situations where the machines run out of cash or experience slow incident reactions.
The second remarkable trend is the significant decrease in the number of customers using cards to withdraw cash, resulting in reduced long queues for cash withdrawals. This is a difference and progress in ATM services, closely related to the results of using ATM cards and non-cash payment accounts, as well as other electronic banking services such as payment via POS, QR code scanning, and other electronic banking services. These trends show an increasing customer preference for using cards for payments rather than withdrawing cash. This positive trend has been observed more clearly during each Lunar New Year period. The number of ATMs in the city has not increased (as of the end of 2023, the number of ATMs is around 4,000, a decrease of 4% compared to 2022), while the demand for ATM services has increased. Nevertheless, the ability to meet this demand has still been ensured, which is evidence of this positive progress.
Thirdly, there has been more flexibility and proactivity in salary and bonus payments through the coordination between banks and businesses, especially those located in industrial and economic zones with a large number of workers. This solution helps reduce the concentrated pressure of funds disbursal and long queues for withdrawals in the last days of the year. This proactive measure has not only greatly benefited the operation of the ATM system but also other related activities such as shopping, transportation, labor arrangement, and Tet holiday employment for businesses. The coordinated efforts between departments, regulatory bodies, and good communication have contributed to the success of this solution.
These are results, progress, and positive development trends of ATM services in Ho Chi Minh City, which have been evaluated and recognized. These achievements not only act as a driving force for the city’s banking industry to continue improving and developing its services but also bring pride and joy to the people, offering them convenience and peace of mind to welcome a happy and peaceful Spring and to promote growth and development in the year 2024.
