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Bad ATM Software -- Someone should be VERY embarrassed at KEY Bank.

By Andrew Pollack on 05/02/2005 at 11:32 AM EDT

Last week, the Key Bank in Yarmouth, Maine had their ATM upgraded. Same old hardware, but clearly new software -- and some kind of headphone jack -- for the blind maybe. Now, first I have to ask what the hell a blind person would be doing in the driver's seat at a drive-up ATM. Um, hello? Also, how is a blind person supposed to KNOW there is a headphone jack, and if so, where it is on the machine?

Now for the real big, stupid, ugly bug....

I have two checking accounts. They're both tied to my ATM card. They're both called "Checking". I change the name of one each time they upgrade, but it always gets set back to "Checking" after a big system upgrade. Its never really been a problem until now.

When you have two of the same kind of account, the menus on the ATM assume you want to use your "Primary" account. To use the other, you have to select "Other Accounts" then "Checking Accounts" then you get a list of all your checking accounts. I've always been able to select the second account and do my deposit or whatever. No problem.

No more. They "upgraded" and now, since both accounts have the same name on the screen, the idiot programmer simply takes the first one with the same NAME as what you keyed for. If you select the second one labeled "checking" you get the first. If you select the first one labeled "checking" you get the first. See a trend here?

Hey, bone-heads! This is a ROOKIE MISTAKE. Any first year I.T. student can do better than that. How in the hell did THAT get past the QA people in one of the largest financial firms in the world? This does not increase my confidence you, Key Corp.

Yes, I've resolved it by having my local (wonderful) branch manager, Cindy, change the label on one of the two accounts. Still, isn't this one of the stupidest mistakes you could make as a programmer?


There are  - loading -  comments....

My own thoughts on this are...By Chris Whisonant on 05/03/2005 at 09:36 AM EDT
Gotta love software upgrades! I've always wondered why there is braille on
ATMs... If you can't read the numbers you probably shouldn't be driving!!
My own thoughts on this are...By Debbie on 05/03/2005 at 04:45 PM EDT
When my bank upgraded we got the "Choose language" button. ARGH!!!! I LIVE IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE USA!! I know we have Spanish speaking people in the area,
but still. Why they couldn't have done a "choose language or insert card to
continue" I'll never know. Instead, I have to hit the button, THEN insert the
card. Seems like in trying to make it more "friendly" they've made it more
cumbersome. So much for the 'fast cash' idea!


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