How to Teach Adults How to Use an ATM Machine
Learning to use an automated teller machine as an adult can be intimidating, especially for people who have limited experience with technology. Elderly customers may need to have the steps repeated to them several times because they may not have ever used a computer before. An ATM provides many of the basic services that a human teller provides, but ATMs, which are often located outside, are available 24 hours a day, not just during business hours.
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Instructions
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Make sure that the person has signed up for an ATM or debit card through her bank and that she has selected a personal identification number (PIN) to use at the ATM. If she has not signed up for a PIN, she will not be able to use an ATM. She can sign up for a PIN by calling her bank's customer service phone number or by visiting a local branch.
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Find out if her bank requires deposits to be placed in an envelope and if a deposit slip is needed. You will use this knowledge later. If a deposit slip is needed, have her fill it out before going to the ATM machine.
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Bring the person to an ATM. Explain how she can identify ATMs that she may use. Point out all of the various features on the ATM, such as the keypad, screen, slot to insert your card, slot to receive cash, slot to make deposits and slot to receive a receipt.
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Show her how to insert her card into the correct slot. Most ATMs have a picture that illustrates which way the card should be facing when it is inserted. Have her match her card's position to the picture and insert it.
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Explain the prompts that appear on the screen. First, she will be asked for her PIN. Have her enter it. Ask her to enter her PIN incorrectly first, and than correctly, so she can see what the ATM does in both cases.
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Teach her to select the type of transaction she would like to do on the screen. If she wants to get cash, have her press the corresponding button to select that option. If the ATM has a touchscreen, show her how to touch it in the correct place to select the option. Have her make a selection for the amount of cash that she would like. Have her take the cash when it is dispensed.
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Demonstrate how to obtain a receipt for the transaction. Some ATMs ask whether you would like a receipt, a receipt that shows the images of any checks you deposited or no receipt. Have her make a selection and, if she chose to get a receipt, show her where it comes out of the machine.
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Run through all of the possible scenarios, such as making a cash deposit, making a check deposit and inquiring about an account balance. If her bank requires deposits to be placed in an envelope and include a deposit slip, have her perform those steps. Ask her to purposely make mistakes, such as making the wrong selection or requesting to withdraw more cash than she has in the account, so that she learns how to go back to the previous screen or cancel the transaction and start over. This way, she won't become flustered if she makes a mistake on her own.
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Teach the adult the basics of ATM safety. The fear of being mugged or becoming the victim of identity theft can be a powerful deterrent to adults who aren't familiar with ATMs. Tell her to use ATMs that are well-lit and when other people are around. She should be aware of her surroundings, lock her car while she's at the ATM, put cash away in a wallet or purse right away and leave if she feels uncomfortable or like something isn't quite right. To avoid identity theft, she should keep her card in a safe place, never share her PIN and remember to remove her card and receipt from the ATM when she is finished with her transaction.
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