Budget Planning
Spend the right money, not the most money.
The mistake is walking into budget season with a price list. QDS CEO Sean Farrell and Account Executive John Priore walk through how to take a holistic look at your branches, your equipment, and your contracts before your 2027 numbers get locked in.
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Part of our forte here at QDS is to have people spend the right money, not the most money, and be a proactive partner people can trust.
Sean Farrell, CEO
The four cylinder car to get us from A to B has worked for a while. Maybe we need to move up to a V8.
Sean Farrell, CEO
...the default for most people is to stay status quo or to assume the devil you know is better.
Sean Farrell, CEO
Start here
Take the "doctor's" approach to budget season
It's not as simple as "Do we need a new cash counter, and what will it cost in 2027?" The best budget conversations start with a checkup. How is your ATM channel operating? Where is each piece of equipment in its lifecycle? Which branches keep coming up as the squeaky wheels? Where are you in your contract cycle?
Answer those first, and you'll know which machines belong in 2027 and which can wait.
What should you evaluate?
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Equipment age
How old is your current fleet? Are you approaching end of life, or watching service calls and maintenance costs climb?
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Staff workflow
How much time are your employees spending handling, counting, balancing, and moving cash?
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Branch efficiency
Does your current equipment support the way each branch actually operates today?
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Staffing needs
Could better cash automation give your existing staff more time to serve clients and members?
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Future needs
Are branches growing, changing layouts, adjusting staffing, or getting ready for other technology investments? Has a merger or acquisition changed what you own?
Where to look for 2027
Eight places to look before you lock the budget
01
Know what you have
After a merger, or after years of growth, many institutions can't say exactly what equipment sits in every branch. A branch survey that pulls serial numbers, parts availability, and maintenance history gives you the real picture. You can't just ask ChatGPT which of your machines are end of life.
02
End-of-life equipment
Machines that work fine today can become un-upgradable next year. Plan replacements on a cycle instead of waiting until the wheels fall off. With 20 locations, that might mean replacing five machines a year, not one surprise capital hit. Label each one a 2027 project or a 2028 project, and next year's budget gets easier too.
03
The new $10 bill
The redesigned $10 is on its way. Most current machines update quickly (for many money counters it's a USB software update), but some end-of-life models, such as the Glory RBG-100 and Vertera 6G recyclers, won't get it. Those machines won't stop working; they'll reject the new note, and your staff will hand count it.
Ask your vendor one simple question: "Is this machine covered?" If you're under a QDS service contract, we handle the upgrade on every model that can take it.
04
ATM and ITM strategy
This year's Windows upgrades stopped the compliance clock for a while. Use that time to decide your strategy. Do high-volume locations with six- to eight-year-old machines need attention before 2029? Is it time for core integration, deposit taking, or an as-a-service model? Has a competitor raised its game in your market?
05
Is your TCR helping your staff?
Look past whether your recyclers are running. How often do tellers stop to deal with inventory? Newer cassette-based machines hold more and cut back-office time. If your lending team has brought in new business and cash volume has grown, the four-cylinder that got you from A to B may need to become a V8.
06
Desktop cash equipment
Are your counters, discriminators, and validators still meeting your staff's needs? Should the same model run across your whole footprint? Cash discriminators and TCRs work well in tandem, and QDS sells and supports both, which many vendors don't.
07
The costs people forget
The machine is only part of the project. Budget for:
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Branding and signage: a refreshed surround, an LED surround for a site with strong road frontage, or new housing for a 15- to 25-year-old kiosk building.
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Software and configuration: NFC tap, recycling support from your processor, and the professional services to tune it across your fleet.
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Security: gates, application whitelisting, drive encryption, and skimming and shimming protection.
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Installation and integration costs that may sit in another department's budget.
08
Service, maintenance, and training
Maintenance costs tend to rise as equipment ages, with every vendor, QDS included. Compare the cost of maintaining a 10- or 12-year-old machine against replacing it.
And budget for people: when a head teller or several tellers turn over, a $1,000 to $2,000 trainer day keeps a TCR from sitting unused because the new team doesn't feel comfortable on it.
Found money
Short on budget? Look across the hall.
Branch operations isn't the only budget that can solve a branch problem. If you've posted a teller position for months or have someone going out on leave, is there HR budget to consider? Don't overlook your lower-volume, remote locations, where the branch manager often doubles as a second control.
Build the business case backward: find money that's already earmarked in IT or HR, then show how deploying it on equipment solves the same problem and pays a return.
Prioritizing interactions over transactions that’s a game plan for success!
ITMs
Interactive teller machines (ITMs) build on the functionality of ATMs while adding additional transaction capability and the opportunity for real-time video interaction with on-site or remote staff.

With core integration, ITMs become excellent ways to extend service hours and enhance self-service offerings for your clients.
Key Benefits:
- Operate with greater efficiency: An estimated 80-90% of transactions done by a teller at a branch can be handled by ITMs. With core integration, 1 video teller can support 15-25 terminals.
- Increase client convenience & satisfaction: Core integrated ITMs can extend full-service capabilities of your branch up to 23 hours a day. Studies have shown that 84% of ITMs users are very satisfied with their experience. Even 72% of people 55+ are comfortable using ITMs.
- Reduce transaction costs: It's estimated that most in-branch teller transactions cost FI's an average of $4.50 per transaction. The same transaction on a self-service device costs between $.50 and $.70.
- Expand in your market: ITM technology enables FI's to detach their self-service channel from the physical branch, enabling them to efficiently scale their market presence—and provide greater choice and convenience for their clients.
Cost:
The cost of an ITM depends on several features and functions, as well as the configuration related to your institution’s core. Typically, different ITM models vary in cost:
- Lobby ITMs range from $30,000 - $60,000
- Drive-through ITMs range from $60,000 - $78,000, depending on recycling or standard functionality
Other cost factors include integration type and software. Features such as core integration, ATM switch integration and ActiveTeller may range from $100,000 - $150,000.
Realistically, you can expect an all-in cost between $20,000 – 25,000 annually for hardware, software and maintenance.
Bottom Line:
The market has changed immensely since the introduction of ITMs 10 years ago. Several manufacturers are sunsetting their legacy ITM and ATM series, leaving many financial institutions looking to invest ITM fleet replacement or implement this technology for the first time. ITMs can serve as a cornerstone of your branch transformation and growth initiatives.
If you’re considering ITMs as part of your strategy, it’s important to understand all of the solutions in play, what their strengths are, and how to leverage this investment to best achieve your goals.
TELLER CASH RECYCLERS
A teller cash recycler (TCR) authenticates incoming bank notes and stores them securely in an internal vault. Tellers can then process automated cash transactions from the recycler’s inventory.

TCRs are a powerful tool in today's market, proven to increase branch efficiency and security by lessening the burden of cash handling for your staff.
Key Benefits:
- Process transactions faster and more accurately
- Increase security by dramatically reducing vault transactions (from 10-30 on a busy day, down to 1-2 visits)
- Increase staff efficiency – typically, two staff members working from a single TCR can do the work of three
- Improve client relations by limiting staff trips to the vault
- Provide a “mini-vault” for an extended/disconnected drive-through setup, thereby eliminating the need for staff to carry cash across parking lots
Cost:
A TCR can range in price depending on the type of machine, maintenance costs, depreciation of the technology, etc.
The typical capital cost is:
- $30,000 - $42,000 (for purchase and installation)
- All-in cost of $9,000 - $12,000/year (including depreciation and maintenance)
Bottom Line:
For branches that could benefit from automation—those typically starting around 70 to 80 transactions per day per teller—is really where a TCR has the potential for immediate impact. One teller could feasibly scale up to as high as 400 transactions per day with the right automation solution.
DESKTOP
Cash discriminators are desktop-sized machines that count, authenticate, and orient mixed currency. Automated cash handling is a helpful tool for eliminating errors and denominating deposits.
Key Benefits:
- Keep denominations counted, organized and strapped effectively
- Easily verify teller accuracy
- Quickly spot counterfeit notes with a processing rate of 1300 notes per minute; reject faulty notes from your clients at the time of deposit
- Process commercial deposits and night drop bags more efficiently; strap and get money into the vault faster
- Supplement cash recyclers by helping with heavy single-note denominations or other scenarios—such as unfit bills—that aren’t a good fit for the recycler
Cost: $2,500 - $3,000
Bottom Line:
For an estimated all-in cost of less than $100/month (including maintenance), your financial institution could save 2-3 hours per day across teller line operations by implementing a cash discriminator.
SERVICE
The use of managed services as a platform is on the rise. This could include things like software patching, graphics distribution, fleet-wide updates, and any enhancements to your software stack that can now be done remotely as opposed to on-site.
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Key Benefits of QDS Service and Our Managed Service Platform:
- Uptime guarantee - We have found that the most important thing for our customers is uptime. That is why we offer a unique uptime guarantee for your ATMs and ITMs. Our team is focused 12 hours a day, seven days a week on keeping your fleet running. Should one of your units go down, the typical repair time can be under 15 minutes.
- Employed service team members: We employee our team members instead of outsourcing our service program to national organizations. This allows total quality control of our service delivery.
- Visibility and communication: We are big on communication, ensuring you have visibility into what's happening with your fleet at all times
- Prioritize preventive maintenance: Every machine in our network typically gets at least two preventive maintenance calls per year. For things like cash recyclers and other devices, we may service them up to four times per to ensure they operate at optimal efficiency.
- Security: We are of the utmost secure and our practices and procedures but at the end of the day, you have someone who cares about solving your problem whether it is our problem to solve or not. So QD s believes in hand holding working with your vendors which may be your ATM network, your core, your security vendors.
Bottom Line:
QDS has remained successful in this business by doing what we say we are going to do. We aim to tie our success to yours and deliver the exceptional service necessary to keep your institution up and running.
Budgeting FAQs
The budget planning questions we hear most at QDS
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When should a financial institution start 2027 budget planning?
Now. Fall is prime budget planning season, and many vendor contracts need 90 days' notice before they renew, so a December 31 renewal means deciding by early October. Starting with a checkup of your fleet, your branches, and your contracts gives you time to plan instead of react.
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What's the difference between an ATM and an ITM?
An ATM handles self-service transactions like withdrawals and, on many models, deposits. An interactive teller machine (ITM) adds more transaction types plus real-time video with a teller, on site or remote. With core integration, an ITM can extend full-service hours well beyond when the branch is open.
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What costs do equipment budgets usually miss?
Branding and signage, software configuration (NFC tap, recycling support), professional services to tune the fleet, security upgrades (gates, whitelisting, drive encryption, skimming protection), and retraining after teller turnover. Some of these live in other departments' budgets, so check across the hall before you finalize.
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We're short on budget. Where else can the money come from?
Look for money already earmarked in HR or IT. If a teller position has been open for months, a TCR may solve the same problem at a lower annual cost. Build the business case backward: start with the problem that budget exists to solve, then show how equipment solves it with a return.
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How do we know if our equipment is end of life?
Age alone won't tell you. A branch survey that pulls serial numbers, parts availability, and maintenance history will. Watch for rising maintenance costs on 8- to 12-year-old machines, and for upcoming changes, like the new $10 bill, that some older models can't be upgraded to support.
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Will our machines accept the new $10 bill?
Most will, often through a quick software update. Some end-of-life models, such as the Glory RBG-100 and Vertera 6G recyclers, won't get it. Those machines keep working but reject the new note, so staff hand count it. Ask your vendor directly: is this machine covered?
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What does a teller cash recycler cost to run?
On camera, Sean Farrell puts a TCR at roughly $10,000 to $12,000 a year, well below the $40,000 to $50,000 cost of a new teller hire. Your number depends on model, capacity, and service agreement, so ask your account manager for a 2027 range.
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Why pair a cash discriminator with a TCR?
They cover each other's gaps. The recycler automates the teller line; the discriminator handles bulk counting, commercial deposits, night drops, and unfit bills that aren't a good fit for the recycler. QDS sells and supports both, so one partner can plan, install, and train across the whole cash process.
