Call and contact centres handle sensitive financial information on a daily basis, making them a prime target for fraud and data breaches. This is why it is essential for these centres to comply with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). The PCI DSS is a set of security standards designed to ensure that all companies that accept, process, store or transmit credit card information maintain a secure environment.
To stay compliant with the PCI DSS, call and contact centres need to implement strong security measures and undergo regular assessments to ensure they are meeting the standard’s requirements. Some of the key requirements include:
💳 Encrypting all cardholder data
Call and contact centres must encrypt sensitive information both in transit and at rest to prevent data theft.
🌐 Maintaining secure networks
Centres must secure their networks by installing and maintaining firewalls, regularly monitoring for vulnerabilities, and implementing strong passwords.
🔒 Protecting against malware
Centres must implement anti-virus and anti-malware software and regularly scan for vulnerabilities.
📟 Implementing access control measures
Centres must limit access to sensitive data to authorized personnel and regularly monitor access logs to detect suspicious activity.
👀 Regularly monitoring and testing security systems
Centres must regularly test their security systems, networks, and processes to identify any weaknesses and take appropriate measures to address them.
For small call and contact centres, complying with the PCI DSS can be challenging. Smaller centres typically have limited resources, making it difficult to implement the necessary security measures and undergo regular assessments.
In the current climate, all organisations are under strain, cost-cutting and suffering from staff shortages. This is only emphasised for small businesses.
However, it is still possible for small contact centres to maintain PCI DSS compliance. One way to do this is to outsource their security requirements to a third-party service provider that specialises in PCI DSS compliance. This can help reduce the costs and internal resources associated with staying compliant, while still ensuring that the centre is meeting all the standard’s necessary requirements.
Complying with the PCI DSS is essential for all call and contact centres handling sensitive financial information. While it can be challenging for small centres, it is still possible to maintain compliance through outsourcing or by taking small remedial steps to reduce costs and resources. By staying compliant, call and contact centres can reduce the risk of data breaches and protect the sensitive information of their customers. Thus, restoring customer trust and elevating the business reputation simultaneously.
Liquid Voice can support you with a bespoke compliance solution as well as ongoing support or consultancy on how to maintain compliance. Find out more here and speak to one of our compliance experts.
