Conference preview: ATMIA US 2016

Four weeks from now, Tuesday, Feb. 23, through Thursday, Feb. 25, at Hilton New Orleans Riverside, the ATM Industry Association will host the AMTIA US Conference 2016, which it credibly describes as "the largest ATM-focused event in the world."

Judging by the agenda, this year's conference — the ATMIA's 17th and my fourth — will be the busiest yet.

Also, it will be the hardest to plan, thanks to an increased number of preconference classes and workshops, three tracks worth of breakout sessions, and an exhibit hall humming with nearly 100 exhibitors (including ATM Marketplace — come and see us!).

What stands out about this year's agenda are both the timeliness and the weightiness of the planned general sessions and smaller breakouts.

Most of us have been to more than a few industry shows where presentations were thinly (or not even) veiled sales pitches. But given session titles such as "The Evolving Role of the ATM Channel and ATM Networks Within the US Landscape," "Building a Faster, Safer Payment System," and "Skimming Scourge: A Case Study on Effects and Prevention" (a firsthand look at what happens when an ATM channel manager's worst night mare comes true), delegates in New Orleans can expect substance over sales patter.

David Tente, executive director of the ATMIA US chapter, said that the organization measures audience engagement — at least to some degree — by year-over-year increases in attendee numbers.

"That tells us that our attendees, exhibitors and sponsors are continuing to find value in what ATMIA offers," he wrote. " A lot of other ATM and payments events over the years have shrunk, merged or disappeared completely. And as we grow attendance and exhibit space, it allows us to make the event better and better."

In large part, this year's ATMIA US agenda reflects the increasing maturity of ATM technology. And it highlights the role the ATM plays in an increasingly complex and interdependent world of banking and payments — a world that is struggling to maintain a madly accelerated pace in order to compete with nontraditional, no-holds-barred challengers. (The analogy comes to mind of watching an ice dancer thrown into a hockey match.)

Along these lines, the 2016 conference will take on topics such as ATM and mobile transactions; cloud- based ATM management; market-expanding technologies; the growing menace of explosive attacks on ATMs; and the role of the ATM in omnichannel banking.

Not to mention the ever-present threat of government intervention and unintended consequences. Tente highlighted a panel covering legislative issues that go to the heart of ATM profitability.

"Last year we only had one session addressing regulatory issues and compliance, which was our legislative panel discussion, and it was not well attended," Tente said. "This year that panel will be headlining the topic of recent calls from legislators to cap surcharge fees and force ATM operators to display bank out-of-network fees as part of the transaction flow — which even the banks wouldn’t be able to do.

"And the sponsoring financial institutions will be presenting a town hall session on regulatory, network and EMV compliance. I expect both sessions to be really well attended. Which is a reflection of how burdensome the regulations are becoming, and how much of an issue these overreaching proposals will be in the coming year."

The conference will have its lighter moments, as well: cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at the opening reception in the exhibit hall; an opening-morning keynote by humorist Dave Barry (see sidebar); and an interactive general session on day two featuring industry innovations "in the works."

And there's the host city itself: The hotel is walking distance from the historic French Quarter, Canal Street shopping, the casino, authentic beignets and Cajun cafes, and (literally) all that jazz.

I've never seen the city of New Orleans. I hope to squeeze in at least an hour or two out and about so that I won't still be saying that when I get back home.

I'll see you in The Big Easy.