Geldmaat +: a helping hand for everyone

In over three hundred Bruna, Primera and Readshop shops, a helping hand is available for anyone who could use some help operating the ATM. Are you making your first deposit, do you need to activate your card or would you like someone to help you withdraw cash? In shops with Geldmaat+, staff are happy to help you.

Attention for all The Primera in the centre of Gouda is one such location with Geldmaat +. Staff member Yessica van der Boog helps customers operate the ATM every day. ‘We have a large number of regular customers who come here especially because we help them,’ ’You see that especially many elderly people find it difficult to withdraw money. The screens go too fast or they can't handle the touch screen properly. They ask us to look over their shoulder. Younger people also sometimes ask for help but then it is often because they get an error message or they are doing something for the first time.' Yessica enjoys helping. 'For me it's natural, you help each other anyway. Sometimes the shop is very busy, but I don't let that rush me. I give everyone attention.'

Primera employees as backup Owner Irena Kabalt is happy that she can offer her customers this extra service. 'By the way, I don't think many of my customers are aware of the fact that we are a Geldmaat+. They come here to pay by card because the machine is inside. The fact that they can ask questions of me and my employees comes naturally. Sometimes they think that they can also open a bank account here. Then I explain that we are not a bank, but that we do help them with withdrawing and depositing banknotes. The questions we receive are very diverse: 'where should I insert my card' or 'can I also deposit money into someone else's account'. People sometimes feel insecure at the vending machine. We act as a kind of backup that they can fall back on if there is a problem.'

Walking to the ATM Frans Avezaat, works at the Bruna in Leusden, where Geldmaat+ is also widely used. 'We regularly help customers at the ATM. If someone comes to me and asks for help, I walk with him to the ATM. The customer puts the card in, then I turn around when they enter the PIN code and then I help them. I always try to let people do as much as possible themselves, type in the amount themselves and touch the screen myself. Many customers prefer smaller notes. They find a €50 note annoying. If you choose different amount, you can choose your own notes, they find that complicated and I help them with that.'

Thank you hug Most of the customers asking for help in Leusden are senior citizens. ‘Leusden is quite grey,’ says Frans. 'Sometimes we also get foreign customers who don't really know how the Dutch ATM works. I once helped a Ukrainian lady. She didn't speak English, I didn't speak Ukrainian then you work with hands and feet. I helped her make a deposit and as thanks I got a hug, those are the nice customers.'

Where can you find Geldmaat +? All locations with this helping hand from the retailer are listed on the locator on Geldmaat.nl. You can find them by selecting: You can find them by choosing from the filter under All banks: ‘Geldmaat’ and then ticking ‘ATMs with assistance’. You can also recognize stores that offer assistance by the sticker on the door or shop window that says: Geldmaat +, a helping hand with withdrawals and deposits.