Crisis at the cash machine

On our recent company trip to Barcelona for our strategy day meeting, I came to realise something about cash machines (ATMs)- they do not follow an international set of standards when it comes to design. Shortly after arriving in Barcelona, I realised that I would need to get more foreign currency to last the duration of my trip. I finally managed to find a cash machine in the airport after scrutinising it carefully as it looked more like a change machine than the cash machines I am used to. However, when I inserted my card, followed the instructions (in English), and input my PIN number, I was informed that the PIN was incorrect and my card was promptly rejected. This was extremely confusing to me as it was not a new card or a new PIN number. I tried another card which happened to have the same PIN number with the same result. In the end I put it down to a dodgy foreign machine and decided I would wait for another opportunity to get cash since I still had some Euros in my wallet.

The following day, I tried a more traditionally looking cash machine and followed the same procedure, only to be met with the same message. By now I was starting to get pretty irritated by Spanish technology and worried that I would not be able to get any cash. Just when I was about to give up, I happened to look down at the keypad while typing my PIN and realised that the layout of the number keys was different to the UK versions. Instead of starting 1, 2, 3 from the top left corner and working down as is typical with telephone keypads, the numbers started at the bottom left as is the same with keyboards. I suddenly realised I had been typing the wrong PIN; I had memorised where the numbers were on the pad and believing that I was being diligent, had been covering my actions with my other hand as many banks advise. As a result, I did not notice the configuration of the numbers assuming that they were the same worldwide.

So the moral of the story is that ATM interfaces should be standardised to prevent more people like myself from experiencing the same crisis at the cash machine.