Stop the Start-Stop

Get Improved PCI Compliance through Speech Analytics

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS) is designed to protect sensitive cardholder data that is collected, stored, or processed from potential fraud or misuse. Call centers are at the center of PCI-DSS concerns as they process a large amount of this kind of data daily but also there is little they can do to prevent their representatives from abusing it.  This makes PCI compliance a central concern for businesses with this model.

With fines and penalties for non-compliance reaching as high as $100,000 monthly, it’s no surprise businesses are looking to technology for comprehensive solutions.  Many different strategies have been employed over the years, the most common of which is referred to as the “Start-Stop” method.  This strategy requires phone representatives to manually pause the recording when cardholder data is being relayed.  While this method can work to prevent the storage of the data, it does little to prevent misuse by representatives and can introduce new complexities in the form of other compliance issues.

Since the nature of the “Start-Stop” method requires a break in the recording, arguments can be made as to whether or not the records maintain their integrity meaning they could lose their ability to serve as proof of protocol or compliance negating their entire purpose.  Likewise there is nothing to protect representatives from accusations of misconduct by consumers, as they could claim harassing behavior was committed during the breaks in the recording.  These instances create new compliance issues in the form of other compliance standards such as the TCPA or FDCPA which strictly govern a representative’s use of what could be construed as “abusive” behavior.

This leaves call centers searching for a more fool proof method of ensuring compliance which has led to new strategies for employing speech analytics software.  The impressive performance of speech analytics technology has opened call centers to a world of possibilities for compliance support.  Aside from superior searching and recall capabilities, which allow businesses to quickly access call records in the instance of an audit or dispute, speech analytics can target words like “payment” or “credit card” allowing for calls that may contain sensitive cardholder data to be quickly categorized and monitored.

Additionally, this technology can identify calls containing any series of numbers and be used in conjunction with redaction technology to scrub the data from records without affecting their integrity.  This offers call centers two layers of compliance protection by automating their process to avoid human interference and immediately eliminating sensitive information so there is no possibility of future access, even in the event of a security breach.  In this way speech analytics proves a far superior method than the traditional “Start-Stop” strategy to minimizing PCI compliance risks.

Want to learn more about how speech analytics can support your compliance efforts?   Contact us today to learn about our VoizTrail Communication and Compliance Suite, a scalable selection of applications and services that offer a comprehensive solution to the specialized needs of call center businesses.