Online businesses are more commonplace than ever. In fact, many companies now may never interact with customers face-to-face. Unfortunately, the convenience of digital transactions also makes MOTO payments (Mail order/Telephone order) a higher risk for businesses and consumers alike.
Why are businesses that take MOTO credit card transactions putting themselves at higher risk? How can new technology make online payments safer for both your business and your customers?
Understanding payment environments and your company’s Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance responsibilities can help you manage risk and keep private customer data safe, no matter how they pay.
What are MOTO Payments?
MOTO payments are also known as card not present transactions. While they were once used for mail order or telephone payments, the definition has shifted in recent years to include any card not present options, like online payments.
Serving customers remotely is commonplace, convenient and even expected in many industries. So it’s essential to balance offering preferred digital payment options with the necessary security features that will keep your business running smoothly.
PCI Security and Compliance
If you never see or even speak to some of your customers, how do you know they aren’t committing fraud? The payment card industry wants to keep payment data secure and private.
Following PCI compliance standards (often through the help of your payment vendor) will create a layer of security around your credit card payment processing that protects you from data breaches and inhibits both fraudsters and other payment disputes.
PCI DSS MOTO Transaction Fraud
Scammers are attracted to MOTO transactions because it is easier to make fraudulent payments online. This higher likelihood for fraud also includes legitimate customers who are more likely to dispute a charge (known as friendly fraud).
Usually, friendly fraud means your customer forgot they made a purchase with you, or don’t recognize the way your company is listed on their bank statement. Due to the higher risk of chargebacks, MOTO credit card payments cost more for merchants to process.
Telephone Payments
Work From Home PCI Compliance Standards
Whether you manage on-site, a hybrid team or remote workers, your staff must understand their role in PCI compliance. Data protection is essential and should not be taken lightly. Some ways to protect your company and customers from breaches caused by mishandled data are:
- Avoid shared work spaces - both in the home and on site, especially for those who don’t have proper compliance education or reason to view personal data. Remember, reducing the number of people exposed to sensitive data, the more secure your company becomes.
- Require lock screens on computers - and other measures to prevent accidental viewing of private information. Create policies and procedures that state how you expect staff to secure their workstations when not in use.
- Properly dispose of paperwork - containing private information. Provide an accessible way for employees to dispose of printed paperwork or handwritten documents that may contain sensitive information. Offer secure shred bins, or better yet…
- Don’t handle or store data - to begin with. Implement a tool like Flow Technology, and you can take advantage of Level 1 PCI certified software that gathers, tokenizes, encrypts and stores card numbers on your behalf. If information never touches your system, you eliminate a large amount of your PCI compliance burden.
Balancing Technology with a Human Touch
Although there is a drive toward automation solutions and more self service options, there will always be a need for human interaction in business. What is your plan for those transactions customers will not be able to complete through self-serve portals?
Do you provide a secure payment method that customers can take advantage of, no matter how they prefer to make a payment?
Flow Technology for Secure, Agent-Assisted Transactions
Keeps Card Data Secure
PDCflow prioritizes transaction security, no matter the transaction type. Credit card MOTO payments and ACH transactions both go through data tokenization and encryption, so consumer data is never unintentionally exposed.
Flow Technology also uses dual authentication with email or SMS text workflows for a greater level of security. Upon receiving a communication, your customer must enter a shared secret (account number, last four digits of their social security number, etc) before gaining access to their payment form. This ensures the right party is always on the other end of the transaction.
PDCflow’s Secure Entry Overlay technology also reduces PCI scope and protects card data by ensuring payment information never reaches your company’s systems to be stored. By avoiding sensitive card information, you’re responsible for fewer PCI compliance concerns and data is responsibly stored and handled for you.
Provides Better Customer Experience
With Flow Technology, your company can balance the security you need with the positive user experience your customers expect. Complex account questions or people who prefer speaking with an agent should enjoy the same security as self-pay customers.
Your staff can send a Flow to customers through email, SMS or web chat while still connected with an agent to walk them through the process. Seeing a payment through to the end increases likelihood of success and makes customers feel valued.
Use with Web Chat
Better Than IVR
Technology has quickly shifted in the past few years. Many consumers prefer online payment portals, email or text communication to a phone call – even if an agent isn’t on the other end of the phone. IVR used to be the most convenient self-service option companies could offer.
Unfortunately, these phone systems have many shortcomings customers dislike.
- Voice-activated navigation can fail to understand what options consumers are saying, or cause other frustrations.
- IVR is often slow to navigate. People calling to pay may abandon payment if it takes too long to find the option they are looking for.
- Some consumers may wish to ask questions before making their payment. Automated IVR systems can discourage customers from reaching out, or push them to make a public-facing complaint
Makes Work From Home Agents More Secure
With Flow Technology, companies can offer secure, convenient, user friendly payments, no matter if staff are working from home or in the office. Flow eliminates the need to ever see or hear card data, adhering to PCI compliance standards and simplifying payment collection.
Our software offers the security compliance that you and your customer base need with the user-friendly features that keep business running smoothly. On top of PCI compliance, Flow can help you:
- Send invoices, statements or payment reminders to customers through the channels they prefer.
- Collect esignatures and payment authorizations along with the balance due for faster workflows and simpler customer interactions.
- Offer the ability to create recurring payment schedules for customers on the phone with an agent or allow payer created schedules through your online payment portal.
Do you want to speed up workflows and and provide a secure, user-friendly payment environment for your customers? Schedule a demo with a PDCflow Account Executive to learn how our suite of payment communication software streamlines office processes and keeps your business secure.
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- ABOUT THE AUTHOR -
Hannah Huerta, Marketing Specialist
Hannah Huerta is a Marketing Specialist at PDCflow. She creates content for the accounts receivable and payment industry.
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