In light of the constant stream of news regarding the theft of personal information of individuals interacting with contact centers, many companies have tried to boost security on sensitive customer data. While building a robust IT infrastructure is certainly important, hackers are not the only ones who engage in personal data theft: much of it actually occurs at the hands of call center workers.
While every company likes to think all its employees are honest and trustworthy, the truth is that the high turnover in the call center industry means no company can be completely confident of its employees. Call center workers spend their entire day listening to private information such as account numbers, passwords and PINs, bank and other financial information and even the answers to challenge questions.
Some companies are fighting back with internal technologies that insert a barrier in between agents and personal customer information. Some companies keep private information from their call recordings (a major source of information for those who would steal personal information) using pause and resume technology that ensures sensitive information won’t be stored along with recordings. Other companies are using interactive voice response (IVR) solutions to allow customers to enter sensitive information without the agents having access to it.
In a recent blog post on the Web site Finextra, Andrew Dunn writes about these systems that are gaining a lot of attention in the contact center industry.
“A payment IVR guides customers through the payment process, prompting them to enter details such as the primary account number (PAN) and card validation code using their telephone keypad. This may occur as a self-contained interaction. Alternatively, the caller is directed to a payment IVR after speaking to an agent.”
When customers enter their information, the keypad tones are “masked” so the agent cannot guess them from the sounds they make.
A fully automated IVR payment solution prevents agent exposure to card data, writes Dunn, removing the need for some training, and eliminating a significant source of fraud. It also boosts customers’ perceptions of security and reduces call handling costs.
It is critical, however, that if you choose such a solution, your IVR system must be in top-notch condition, well designed and maintained (which is not something many companies can claim).
“In the case of a payment processing IVR, a badly designed system can lead to confusion, incorrect data entry, and ultimately abandoned transactions, with customers unlikely to return,” notes Dunn.
While it’s a great way to protect sensitive customer data from agents who might use the information for nefarious purposes, it’s important that companies have a first-class IVR solution in place AND understand how to administer and maintain it.
Edited by Rory J. Thompson