Information

[Queen Mum]

Way back in the 90's when ATMs started getting in to the system I was working in banking.

We were urged to offer free cards to folks to get them to use the ATMs. There were contests to see who could get the most people to sign up.

I wasn't good at pushing them because I kept thinking and saying (for which I was reprimanded!), If people use those they won't need the bank tellers.

DUH!

Now they are popular as as self check outs and different kiosks.

Every time someone uses a machine it means a person is not needed for that job.

Well, now the President is mentioning this and is getting bashed.

I may not be thrilled with Mr. Obama - but I certainly agree with this!

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011...overy-on-atms/

[handerful]

Ahh... so true


But I don't see ATMs and other convienences going away. ATMs and kiosks cost businesses much less to "maintain" - less salary, no benefits, etc., and many ATM transactions can produce more revenue than a teller transaction (probably the reason your employer pushed it so much), making rich executives richer.

[Janell]

Interesting to think about. I do love my ATM when the bank is not open though after hours...

[killarney_rose]

When I heard the President say that I thought ..... opps! I think he probably thought that after he said it and analyzed what he had just said. President Obama, bless is heart reminds me of Bush #43 when he speaks off the top of his head. But hey, I do it, too!

We have all kinds of gadgets and things that make life easier which create jobs. One job might be lost but another is there to take it's place.

I'll just take my little part of the world to give you the example. I am just one farmer who makes up 2% of the population who are farmers. We have some others on the board who are part of that 2%. Do you know how many jobs in this country farming by the 2% of us are created to support what we do on the farm. 24 million jobs. In 1960 each farmer fed 26 people and in 2010 we would each feed 155 people. It's all technology....in the same time period the population of the earth doubled.

When the ATM was invented it opened a whole other job market.

Out there somewhere in our country someone will come up with the next new gadget or invention that will cause some jobs to be lost but far more jobs will open as a result. What has happened over our lifetime we have a more technology driven economy, is that a bad thing. No, it just means the education someone receives needs to meet the changes in technology.

[ammielou]

I agree, my company just went to an automated system. I thought, "Oh, no there goes my job"!! I'll be phased out in the next year or so. But I hope not, I hope enough people will call and complain!!

[Charleneanne]

I worked in a call center for a major retailer for 17 years. I retired end of 2002. Since internet ordering has become so prevalent, 75% of that companys call centers have closed putting hundreds of people out of work in each call center. Almost the only center still open and thriving is the one that handles the internet orders. They used to be one center out of 17. Now they are one out of 4 or 5 centers left and they do not employ even a small percentage of the number of folks who lost their jobs due to this wonderful world of technology. sigh I'm old and perhaps I do not see the "big" picture here. Who knows.