Bank of America: New Use Cases Take Unattended Payments Into the Future

Making things easier rarely goes out of style. Just take, for example, unattended payments.

Typically facilitated by self-service machines, kiosks or other devices allowing customers to complete purchases independently, these transactions occur without the need for direct human interaction at the point of sale.

With the unattended payments market projected to reach $129 billion globally by 2030, it is clear they are becoming a fundamental part of our commerce infrastructure.

“The growth [has been] explosive,” Mousumi Chatterjee, director of product innovation in Global Payments Solutions at Bank of America, told PYMNTS, adding this market represents not just a technological shift but a reimagining of how industries interact with consumers.

While retail has led the charge with self-checkout kiosks, vending machines and micro markets, new use cases are emerging across a variety of sectors.

The challenge for businesses now lies in determining not whether to implement these solutions, but how to do so effectively while maintaining customer trust, operational efficiency and performance standards.

Unattended payments are transforming industries by offering efficiency and convenience, particularly in a cashless and automated world.

Chatterjee pointed to hospitality and dining as prime examples, highlighting the evolution of “pay-at-the-table solutions, loyalty programs and even customized cocktail dispensers.” She added that ghost kitchens are also using unattended systems to enable “contactless pickup and delivery.”

Transportation and mobility are also experiencing a shift.

“In New York City and San Francisco, over 60% of in-person payments are contactless; [half of all domestic in-person transactions are tap to pay]; with 70% of those made using plastic and 30% through mobile devices,” Chatterjee said, citing various sources.

At the same time, technologies like RFID and license plate recognition are streamlining transit and parking payments, offering what Chatterjee described as “huge line-busting opportunities.”

Healthcare represents another promising vertical, with unattended kiosks facilitating prescription pickups and hospital copays. In entertainment and travel, unattended minibars in hotels and vending machines at amusement parks are enhancing customer convenience.

Chatterjee pointed out that other sectors, such as electric vehicle charging, car washes with subscription models with upselling detailing services, and gyms and wellness centers, demonstrate how unattended payments are evolving to meet specialized consumer needs.

Despite the expansion, unattended payment systems have room to improve.

“The self-checkout experience definitely has high adoption, but the satisfaction overall has been low, around 15%,” Chatterjee said.

She attributed this to issues such as complex user interfaces, limited options and technical glitches, including machine malfunctions and lack of real-time assistance.

“Think about … a mom with three kids having a day job and going into three different services at the end of the day — groceries, a car wash and EV charging,” she said. “If the checkout is not intuitive, if things are not staring at me where I need to click, that’s when you have an abandoned transaction.”

Chatterjee said some retailers are addressing this by introducing human runners to help customers navigate these systems.

“That blend of human interaction and unattended kiosks is helping customers [get past the initial adaptability curve],” she said.

Privacy and security concerns are also barriers. Unless market participants can build trust with their customers, it will be hard to increase adoption, Chatterjee said, adding that improving these systems involves creating intuitive designs, addressing accessibility, and incorporating features like speech-to-text and multilingual support.

As unattended payments infiltrate more industries, companies face the dual challenge of embracing automation while ensuring customer satisfaction and regulatory compliance.

Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and predictive analytics promise to enhance these systems, but they must be implemented responsibly. By focusing on trust, security and usability, businesses can unlock the full potential of unattended payments and transform the customer experience across verticals.

Chatterjee underscored Bank of America’s own commitment to responsible innovation, highlighting the importance of piloting new technologies in controlled environments.

“It’s not just about providing cool … solutions,” she said. “It’s about meeting clients where they are and offering opportunities that support their customers directly.”

While automation dominates small-dollar transactions, Bank of America recognizes the value of human interaction in high-dollar engagements, such as loans or wealth management. Drawing lessons from retail, Chatterjee said she envisions a future where consumers can initiate processes online and complete them in person, combining the best of both worlds.

“Customers could start off in a digital environment and finish in a retail one,” she said. “…It’s all about consistency.”

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