From Transactions to Onboarding: The Power of Customisable Self-Service Workflows

Self-service banking has evolved beyond basic ATM transactions. Customers now expect more control over their banking needs, from opening accounts to managing cards and making real-time payments. For banks, this shift presents both an opportunity and a challenge—how to provide efficient, secure, and user-friendly self-service options without overhauling existing infrastructure.

Most off-the-shelf kiosk software comes with rigid workflows that may not align with a bank’s operational model or customer preferences. A more flexible approach allows banks to tailor self-service experiences while maintaining compliance and security.

Expanding the Role of Self-Service Kiosks

With the right workflow automation, self-service kiosks can do much more than routine transactions. They can reduce in-branch congestion, improve operational efficiency, and provide services that would otherwise require staff intervention. Some of the most impactful applications include:

Account Services & Customer Onboarding

Opening a new bank account traditionally involves multiple steps—submitting documents, waiting for verification, and completing forms at the branch. Self-service kiosks eliminate these bottlenecks by allowing customers to open accounts digitally with built-in KYC verification. Users can scan their identification documents, capture biometric data, and receive instant verification, reducing onboarding time from days to minutes. Additionally, existing customers can update personal details such as phone numbers or addresses without requiring in-person assistance, ensuring up-to-date records while enhancing convenience.

Cash & Cheque Transactions

Handling cash and cheques efficiently is critical for banks, and self-service kiosks offer a streamlined alternative to traditional counter transactions. Customers can deposit cash directly into recyclers, which verify, sort, and dispense cash as needed, reducing the workload on bank staff and minimising errors. Cheque deposits are equally simplified with automated verification using OCR and MICR technology, ensuring that handwritten amounts match printed values and that post-dated or stale-dated cheques are flagged instantly. With faster cheque clearance and minimal manual intervention, banks can enhance their processing speed while offering customers a more efficient banking experience.

Loan & Credit Services

Loan and credit card applications often involve long processing times and multiple branch visits. With self-service kiosks, customers can complete loan applications in one session, submitting necessary documents, verifying eligibility, and receiving preliminary approvals instantly. Credit card applications follow a similar process—users can apply, verify their identity, and get instant approvals, with the option to print and activate a physical or virtual card on the spot. By automating these workflows, banks can process applications more efficiently while reducing paperwork and manual verification delays.

Payments & Transfers

Managing payments and money transfers through a self-service kiosk provides customers with an accessible and convenient alternative to online banking or in-branch visits. Users can pay utility bills, mobile top-ups, government fees, and other recurring payments without needing teller assistance. Kiosks also support peer-to-peer transfers, allowing users to send money directly from their accounts. For customers needing cross-border remittances, kiosks can facilitate secure fund transfers while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, providing a faster and more accessible solution for global transactions.

Card Services & Secure Banking

Traditional banking processes for card issuance and management can be time-consuming, especially when customers need to replace lost or stolen cards. Self-service kiosks equipped with instant issuance capabilities allow users to request, print, and activate new debit or credit cards without delays. Customers can also manage their security settings, such as changing their PIN, blocking or unblocking their cards, and even setting up virtual cards for secure online transactions. These self-service capabilities not only improve security but also empower customers to manage their banking needs independently.

Customer Support & Self-Service Help Desks

Beyond transactions, self-service kiosks are evolving into interactive customer support hubs. AI-powered virtual assistants integrated into kiosks provide real-time guidance, helping customers navigate banking services, answer common inquiries, and troubleshoot basic issues. Additionally, kiosks allow customers to access account summaries, request transaction statements, and submit complaints or service requests without needing to wait for an available representative. By automating these processes, banks can offer more efficient customer support while freeing up staff for complex queries.

Implementing Custom Workflows with a Modular Approach

A key challenge for banks is integrating these self-service functions into existing infrastructure without disrupting operations. A modular software approach allows for:

• Hardware Flexibility – Supporting multiple kiosk vendors without requiring dedicated systems.
• Customisable Interfaces – Designing workflows based on customer interaction patterns.
• Seamless Integration – Connecting with core banking APIs for real-time data synchronisation.

By adopting a structured yet adaptable framework like the EDK, banks can evolve their self-service capabilities while maintaining security, compliance, and operational efficiency. Book a demo today to learn more.