HANSCOM AFB, Mass. – Hanscom FCU is utilizing a kiosk strategy to handle increased traffic at its branch in the Boston JFK Federal Building. The credit union had a dilemma. The credit union's branch in Boston's JFK Federal Building was ready for expansion, but simply building a bigger branch was not in the cards. How could they best go from a non-cash, limited-service branch operated from a converted closet to a full-service, full-time office that doubled as a shared branching CU Service Center location? The solution came with Tellagent's FASTr kiosk, which Hanscom has branded as the Fast + Easy terminal. Hanscom FCU became the first credit union to install the machine. Because it runs on a shared branching platform, the terminal can serve guest members as a CU Service Center location. The Fast + Easy terminal's transaction set includes cash and check deposits; withdrawals by cash or check; transfers; loan payments and balance inquiries. It also displays and prints account histories. It can be enhanced to handle loan applications, process changes of address and re-order checks. Users can receive withdrawals in to-the-dollar amounts, rather than the standard twenty-dollar bills available at an ATM. "We needed more effective technology," noted David Sprague, Hanscom FCU president/CEO. "Installing an ATM would take some of the burden from staff, but members would have only limited access to their accounts. An ATM won't access accounts beyond savings and checking. Plus, the Fast + Easy terminal will accommodate future innovations, and the cost is very favorable when compared to existing technologies." The Fast + Easy terminal is even ready for Check21. Through a collaboration between Tellagent and EasCorp, deposited checks are scanned and submitted for final payment as an electronic cash letter. This eliminates the need to service the terminal each day to recover paper checks for processing. Hanscom FCU officials have already planned for another Fast + Easy terminal for a newly constructed branch at their location in Devens, Mass.