Consumers are more security savvy than ever before.
Given the number of news stories about costly data breaches, it’s understandable that people are protective of their personal information and mindful of the risks associated with making a payment through a contact center.
This growing level of apprehension poses a mounting challenge for businesses, as consumers become increasingly distrustful of companies and cautious about who they buy from. It is therefore not surprising that 55 percent of organizations rank customer data security as the most important trend for 2024.
Consumers are wary.
Despite the modern expectation for ultra-easy purchasing and same-day delivery, consumers would still choose security over convenience when paying for a purchase. In the UK for example, this is stated to be twice as likely.
It’s not just about sharing payment details. It’s about how those details are kept, secured and used. A huge concern, and for good reason. Verizon’s most recent report found that even though security measures such as PCI DSS reduce the risk of data breaches by half, only half of organizations are fully PCI compliant. Very often, businesses don’t have the requisite security policies in place to protect payment details, and that puts them at risk of falling into the wrong hands.
Insider threats are only increasing. In 2022, the number of insider-led cybersecurity incidents rose by 44 percent. Given that almost three quarters of contact center agents personally handle customer information, this is a sobering statistic. A lack of diligence around security and compliance leaves companies vulnerable to both internal and external threats, risking the exposure of sensitive payment data and serious reputational damage.
The challenge for contact centers.
It’s clear that implementing robust contact center security measures is not only a matter of regulatory compliance; it’s a critical part of earning and maintaining customer trust and loyalty. For contact centers who have been taking card payments in a particular way for so long, the fear of change is often far more daunting than putting in place the right security measures.
Risk reduction outweighs the impact of change. Nine in ten consumers across the UK and US cite personal data security as the most important factor in choosing a payment method. Change can be daunting, but it’s vital that contact centers prioritize customer confidence, and that means putting security first.
PCI DSS is the right framework to follow. By adhering to PCI DSS standards, businesses not only reduce the risk of data breaches but also demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding customer information.
PCI DSS does the hard work for you. Organizations do not have to define their own policies for handling payments through their contact centers. PCI DSS already sets the industry standard, making it easy to establish compliance. And what’s more, solutions such as PCI Pal’s exist to quickly and effectively take payments in accordance with these guidelines.
Secure doesn’t have to mean complex.
With the right technology, secure and PCI DSS compliant by design, contact centers are able to win customer trust and, ultimately, customer loyalty.
Connect with one of our experts to see how PCI Pal’s innovative secure payment solutions can be seamlessly integrated with your contact center operations to ensure compliance without compromising the customer experience.
