PCI Compliance Call Center Requirements

Executive Boutique is a PCI compliant call center that is ready to handle all of your company’s customer service needs, while also ensuring full compliance with international regulations regarding the security of customer data.

You can’t compromise when it comes to customer privacy and security. This is why meeting PCI compliance requirements is crucial, regardless of whether you outsource your call center services or keep them internal.

 

What Is PCI Compliance?

The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) oversees safe practices for handling credit card and other payment information. It sets forth and regularly updates the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), which is comprised of regulations that dictate how credit card information must be processed and protected.

Any business entity that accepts credit cards as a form of transaction must follow PCI guidelines. This applies across the board, from local small businesses to corporate conglomerates. PCI is also a global standard, so it applies whether your company is based in the U.S., the UK, or even solely as an online entity, such as Amazon.

 

Why PCI Compliance Matters

According to the Federal Trade Commission, there were 13 million consumer complaints stemming from card fraud and identity theft in 2017. Of those, 51% of the consumers reported an unauthorized transaction made on their card. Furthermore, a 2014 Nilson Report revealed a global loss of $16.21 billion to credit card fraud. The figure is expected to jump to $35.54 billion by 2020.

If fraud occurred due to a breach on the company’s end, this can seriously erode consumer trust. It can also result in extremely heavy fines if a breach occurred due to not following PCI guidelines. This is why businesses must choose an outsourcing partner that is fully PCI compliant.

Failing to adhere to PCI compliance requirements may result in:

• Lawsuits and settlements
• Stiff federal penalties
• Major blemish in company reputation
• Bankruptcy and potentially going out of business

 

Is PCI Compliance Mandatory?

If your business accepts payment via credit or debit card, then yes. This holds true regardless of transaction volume. In some industries, however, PCI validation may not be required. However, it’s still highly recommended in this instance that you remain compliant for the purpose of ensuring your customers’ information privacy.

 

PCI DSS Requirements

Companies must verify annual compliance with the PCI Data Security Standard, or undergo an audit by a qualified security assessor.

The exact guidelines and requirements differ depending on the verification method used and the number of transactions processed yearly. There are four PCI levels. The majority of businesses fall into category four, which is the lowest level, for small to medium-sized companies that process fewer than 20,000 transactions per year.

 

PCI Compliance Checklist

The PCI DSS includes these 12 requirements that your internal team needs to be sure is covered:

1. Protect stored cardholder data.
2. Maintain policies that address information security.
3. Routinely test security systems.
4. Monitor network resources and card data.
5. Restrict physical access to customer card data.
6. Create a unique ID for each staff with network access.
7. Restrict data access to a need-to-know basis.
8. Maintain secure applications and systems.
9. Utilize an up-to-date anti-virus scanner.
10. Enforce encryption across public networks.
11. Avoid default or vendor-supplied passwords on IT systems.
12. Install and maintain a strong firewall.

To fully understand the nature of PCI DSS compliance, we recommend checking out this quick reference guide. It outlines the specifics of each of the 12 aforementioned requirements.

 

Why Trust EB Call Center?

We are a Philippines-based call center service that partners with companies across the globe. Many of our clients are commerce businesses in the U.S., UK, and Australia. Our professional call center staff act as the bridge between your company and your valued customers.

We understand the importance of following globally-accepted protocol. This is why our service is backed by our PCI Compliance Certification. We use secure networks and the latest IT implementations for mitigating the latest cyber-threats.

We take calls and orders from your clients using a secure service that prevents even our own agents from seeing the numbers and data. In addition, we use sophisticated “pause and resume” technology to prevent sensitive information from being secretly recorded.

 

PCI Compliant Outsourcing Partner

Focus on your industry specialty and leave customer service to us. Let us take care of making sure that your company fully meets all PCI compliance requirements, so you can focus on providing value to your customers. Contact Executive Boutique Call Center today and see how our customized solutions can benefit your bottom line.