DBS rolls out new measures to reduce long queues for new notes at ATMs, Latest Singapore News - The New Paper
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DBS rolls out new measures to reduce long queues for new notes at ATMs

This article is more than 12 months old

DBS updating estimated waiting times online and putting up end queue signage at pop-up ATMs

DBS Bank has rolled out additional measures to reduce long queues outside its pop-up ATMs for new dollar notes ahead of Chinese New Year.

These include putting up end queue signage to cap the numbers, deploying on-site safety ambassadors to enforce safe management measures, and updating the estimated waiting times for the various locations online on Google Maps.

The bank is also advising customers early to come back another day if they are unlikely to reach their turn by 10pm, DBS told The Straits Times yesterday.

Long queues of mostly elderly people have been forming throughout the day outside the bank's ATMs which dispense new notes at 41 locations islandwide.

Many are rushing to get new notes for hongbao (red packets) to be given out during Chinese New Year, which is less than three weeks away.

The queues have been forming even after the Monetary Authority of Singapore advised the public to adopt e-hongbao.

Checks by ST yesterday evening showed the expected waiting times at 21 of the 41 locations were more than two hours.

But some locations such as the POSB Toa Payoh North self-service branch had only five people in line at 2pm.

Some customers in the queues at ATMs told ST that they joined the lines after failing to secure a time slot on DBS' website to collect the new notes.

A housewife, who wanted to be known only as Ms Lee, said she tried almost 10 times to book a slot when reservation for new notes opened on Jan 18.

DBS said in a statement that more than 80 per cent of online reservation slots have been taken up.

Mr Han Ming Guang, 35, was also unable to book a time slot on the DBS website. The executive, who works at an institute of higher learning, wrote to the ST Forum section to complain about his unsuccessful attempts at reserving new notes online.

SCREEN FREEZE

He told ST that while he was trying to book a slot on Sunday, his computer screen froze after he selected the date and branch.

Only customers who are aged 60 and above, or those with disabilities, can walk in to DBS branches to collect new notes.

Customers have until Feb 10 to collect the notes reserved online. The pop-up ATMs will dispense new notes until 1pm on Feb 11.

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