Benchmark celebrated 33 years in business today, September 13, 2018! Thank you to all of our customers and employees for a wonderful 33 years of working together!

Benchmark was founded on September 13, 1985 by Don Barnes. Benchmark opened its doors in Roswell, GA to banks of all sizes. In the early years, Benchmark provided proprietary banking equipment systems to banks. Back then, Benchmark provided refurbished equipment only, such as Bunker Ramo, IBM and ISC banking systems.

In 1996, Benchmark branched into more product offerings that we still offer today, such as the project services and software development divisions, repair services and additional bank branch equipment. In the early 2000s, PCs became more prevalent in branches which changed the peripherals offered. Benchmark opened multiple depot centers in the northeast to accommodate repairs and specialized projects in the area.

In 2003, check scanner opportunities boomed after the Check 21 Act was passed in 2002. Benchmark worked with multiple banks and manufacturers to develop and release the first RDC check scanner fulfillment program in 2006. Within 3 years of the fulfillment program launching, Benchmark shipped over 30,000 scanners to fulfillment customers. At this time, Benchmark branched into the new equipment market - adding to the refurbished market we were already in.

After recognizing an increased demand for cash recycler technology in the new branch environments, Benchmark developed the middleware solution CashWare in 2009. CashWare was developed to meet the need for software that would allow financial institutions to install any cash recyclers without having to change their teller applications. Since then, CashWare has been recognized by the manufacturers as a leading middleware product, and cash recycler manufacturers send us their latest technology to be CashWare certified.
​
Benchmark's products, services and software solutions are always changing to accommodate the changing technology landscape in financial institutions. Benchmark has expanded its facility four times throughout the years - always increasing in size and allowing for more employees. We have been growing since 1985 and can't wait to see what the next 33 years looks like. When asked about working with Benchmark since the beginning, SVP of Technical Services Tim Stobbe said, "Over the years, we've continually adapted to changes in technology and to the needs of our customers. Every day is different, and there's never been a dull moment."

Benchmark Technology Group will be attending the P3​ Fall Meeting next month. The show will be held September 23-26 in Lincoln, NE. Benchmark will be showcasing a variety of services and solutions, including our  repair programs, software installation services, project management services and our cash automation solution, CashWare. CashWare is our middleware software that assists with connecting your cash recycler to your teller application. VP of Cash Automation Joey Jackson and Senior Account Executive Keith Finney will be representing Benchmark Technology Group at the P3 Fall Meeting.

If you would like to register to attend this event, you can do so here. We look forward to a great conference and to for the opportunity to see our P3 customers!

​Benchmark Technology Group will be attending the DCI Annual Conference next month. The show will be held September 16-17 in Overland Park, KS. Benchmark has been partners with DCI for over 10 years assisting with hardware and software needs. Benchmark will be showcasing a variety of our services and products that can be offered to DCI customers, such as RDC conversion services,  branch automation equipment, software upgrades and installations and more! Account Executive Aaron Hodge and Executive Sales Assistant Ellen McLeod will be representing Benchmark at the DCI Conference.

If you would like to register to attend this event, you can do so here. We look forward to a great conference!

​Benchmark Technology Group will be attending the  UnitiEast 2018 Annual Conference  next month. The show will be held September 10-14 in South Portland, Maine. Benchmark will be showcasing a variety of services and solutions, including our cash automation solution, CashWare. CashWare is our middleware software that assists with connecting your cash recycler to your teller application. Our project management services range from technology upgrades, software conversions, remote installations and more! VP of Cash Automation Joey Jackson and Senior Account Executive Lincoln Bramlage will be representing Benchmark Technology Group at the UnitiEast Conference.

If you would like to register to attend this event, you can do so here. We look forward to another great conference and for the opportunity to see our UnitiEast customers again!

Digital Check is discontinuing a few models from the SmartSource line of check scanners. Digital Check will continue to provide support for the discontinued models for at least four years from the date of purchase. These models include:

• Digital Check SmartSource Expert (1 pocket): The Expert Elite is the replacement for this model. Orders will be accepted through July 26, 2018.
• Digital Check SmartSource Expert 30 and 55 dpm (2 pocket): The 80 and 120 dpm models will remain in production. Orders will be accepted through July 26, 2018.
• Digital Check SmartSource Professional 30, 55 and 80 dpm (2 pocket): The 120 dpm model will remain in production. Orders will be accepted through July 26, 2018.

In the news release from Digital Check, "The goal is to consolidate the product line and steer the market to the new Elite and Expert Elite offerings, which offers a compact footprint and newer technology."

If you need to place an order for any of the models that are being discontinued, please reach out to your Benchmark representative to ensure your order can be fulfilled.

Pack your bags! Benchmark is heading back to the beach. Benchmark Technology Group will be attending the Jack Henry Gulf States User Group Spring Conference 2018 next month. The show will be held​ May 7- 9 in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Benchmark will be showcasing a variety of services and solutions that can help you achieve branch automation throughout your institution. We work with all the top-tier manufacturers to be able to provide you with the best products, including check scanners, teller printers, signature pads and more. We also offer different maintenance and repair programs for your equipment to ensure minimal downtime. Our Advanced Unit Replacement programs help get your replacement devices to you next day! We also provide a preferred cash automation solution, CashWare. CashWare is our middleware software that helps connect your recycler to your teller application. While at the show, be sure to also inquire about our project management services, which include technology upgrades, installs and deinstalls and migrations. Our business is able to manage all aspects of the technology in your branch, and we look forward to seeing you to discuss how we can help!

If you would like to register to attend this event, you can do so here. We look forward to another great conference and to the opportunity to see our Gulf State customers again!

​Benchmark will be attending the Mid-South User Group Annual Conference next month to showcase CashWare, our cash recycler middleware that links your recycler to your core teller application. The show will be held October 11-13 in Orange Beach, Alabama.
​
Our team will be exhibiting in the vendor hall, as well as leading a breakout session titled, “Why Cash Recycling?” In this session, Joey Jackson (Benchmark’s VP of Cash Automation) will be discussing the benefits of cash recycling, how to choose the right recycler and information on CashWare, our middleware solution. If you are interested in utilizing cash recycling in your branches, you won’t want to miss this breakout session.
​
We look forward to another great show and seeing all our MSUG customers again! See you in October!

Benchmark will be implementing our new ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system on September 1. Because of this, Benchmark will be closed for business  on Friday, September 1 to review inventory to complete the final step of our system conversion.

As we move forward with our new system, you might notice slight changes to the look of your invoices, sales orders and purchase orders. If you currently use a document management system or OCR software for our documents, please note that you may need to plan for our revised forms. All the same information will be listed on the forms, but the location of the information on the forms might be in a different place.

Our new system rollout will continue for the next couple of months. Future rollout features will include: online repair order generation, online ordering and a new online help desk. Look for more information on our website and social media for upcoming dates of when to expect those features to be ready for our customers.
​
We are excited about this upcoming system change and hope you are too! If you have any questions about our new system and the features being offered in the coming months, please contact us at 470.865.6000.