My bank recently sent out a promotional piece outlining their online check deposit feature. By enrolling in this program I can scan my deposits and email the scanned document to the bank, eliminating the need to actually make a trip to the brick and mortar building or the ATM deposit box.
At first I thought this was a great idea. Why make yet another trip with the kids, taking both out of their car seats, lugging them into the bank while avoiding their fascination with the water cooler, filling out a deposit slip and depositing the check. It sounds soooooo 20th century.
Of course I can always drive through the ATM and deposit my check, too, but then it’s too easy to take out more money (I’m there so why not?) and still it’s another car trip.
After I thought this through, however, I realized that while this may be great for some people, notably those who make a lot of deposits (and, alas, that’s not me), a trip to the bank gets me out of the house. It can even turn into an event for the kids if I let them help me make coffee at the kiosk, spend time letting my three-year-old push the button on that water cooler and fill his cup, drink, fill, drink…. And I get to interact with adults!
The bank is holding my livelihood so it’s nice to establish a relationship with the people who work there. In this era of technology (such as telecommuting) it’s important to maintain relationships with the people and service providers around us. Isn’t it nice to talk to a human on the phone instead of that automated voice?
Filed under: office tools
