Data security should be a top concern for contact centers handling credit card information (or any other personal information, such as a social security number). At NCO we provide customers with a secure IVR application that enhances PCI Compliance because agents never manage personal information like credit card numbers. Benefits to customers include enhanced PCI compliance and an optimized customer service experience.

For example, a customer calls in to purchase insurance. They work with the agent to determine the solutions that best meets their needs. Once complete, the agent would normally ask the customer for a credit card number. In these cases, adding a secure IVR application to validate credit card information eliminates this breach point. The agent’s desktop would need to be configured with a button to transfer the call directly to the reservation application. The IVR application can be configured to speak confirmation information or automate additional post call work to enhance the customer experience.

Providing personal information over the phone can be disconcerting to customers. Consumers no longer know whom to trust, and recent high-profile security breach cases underscore the need for ever higher security measures to protect consumers from fraud. Companies that adopt this type of IVR solution can provide their customers with the security they crave and protect themselves from a potentially devastating problem. More importantly, those that do it properly will win the respect and loyalty of their customers for a lifetime.