It’s hard to deny the role of data in customer support. And even though there is human interaction at the base of a call center, it is still a heavily digitized field today.

Thus, businesses must give utmost thought to their call center security and privacy measures. Furthermore, bringing customer and employee data security to the table makes the enterprise appear more attractive to other customers.

Why is call center security a hot topic?

Aside from the obvious importance and necessity of consumer data protection, cyber fraud is another reason why call center security standards have become so important.

Unfortunately, as advanced technologies grow, so does the potential for data breaches, cyber attacks, and general digital criminal activity. Hackers seek to steal PII (personally identifiable information), such as payment card numbers and SSNs, that are commonly held and processed by most call centers. Unfortunately, the threat doesn’t seem to be abating.

Nowadays, 83% of companies will likely suffer from multiple data breaches. Therefore, in order not to spend thousands of dollars to fix the ripple effect and keep your customers safe, it is essential to improve call center security. This includes training of employees, organizational changes and of course implementing technical solutions.

Call Center Security Checklist: Trends to Know About for 2022

If a company wants to keep its information and money safe and save time and credibility, it needs to take additional steps for security. Implementing solid security solutions beforehand will reduce the risk of future problems and protect the business when they do occur. Below are some of the most prevalent practices for modern call center security.

authorization and authentication

With the growing online presence around the world, the threat of identity theft is also growing exponentially. For call centers, authorization and authentication have always been at the top of the concern list. That is why there is now a tendency to push the boundaries of both these phenomena.

Biometric technologies such as fingerprint and facial recognition are best practices provided by call center security. This tendency cancels out the need to ask personal questions that hackers can defeat. Authentication through social media profiles linked to company profiles has also become another popular way of ensuring security.

regulatory compliance

As online privacy and security become more of a concern for companies and their customers, the need for generalized call center security standards increases.

Statutory guidelines and cyber security measures organized by governments, such as the European GDPR, help control the proper handling of customer data and establish consequences and accountability for inappropriate actions. Therefore, call centers and companies that follow the rules can be considered trustworthy and reputable.

Spear fishing and enhanced training on phishing

Phishing and spear phishing are two types of cyber attacks carried out through emails or messages. The first is general, while the second is more personalized and involves sending email on behalf of a particular company or person within that company. Data breaches caused by phishing attempts can cost thousands of dollars. Therefore, it is essential to include special training in the call center’s security checklist to prevent such a possibility.

A few things will make these anti-phishing instructions work better—for example, showing examples of the most recent phishing emails. In addition, they will help to quickly identify similar cases in the future. Training to recognize red flags is also essential for quick and accurate detection. They can include grammar mistakes, generalized salutations, poor formatting, dire warnings with urgent requirements, strange URLs, and poor-quality logos.

transparency

The more customers know about the use of the data they give to call centres, the more secure they feel giving it. In this way, the company and the call center service provider can prove their credibility and integrity, so more customers will likely continue their association in the future.

When businesses reveal certain information to their customers, it also increases customer loyalty as it allows them to build a closer relationship with them. Furthermore, when there is transparency, hackers will have little or no information to steal or sabotage the company.

Updated Technology: Cloud Transfer

Using the right technology is half the battle for better call center safety and security. But unfortunately, outdated software and security protocols can put a company at greater risk of cyberattacks. This is why more businesses invest in high-quality anti-spam and dedicated security software that provides context-appropriate call center support.

Cloud solutions have also become a popular way to keep pace with the tech world. In addition, they provide clear security benefits (data protection by a team of experts) and help enhance the call center customer experience.

conclusion

Digitization not only brings significant updates but also some threats to call center security. Hence the importance of keeping up with the latest customer support security trends is undeniable.

Furthermore, as call centers continue to process more significant amounts of data, businesses need to pay extra attention to the security and privacy solutions they choose to work with. Hiring specialists who know how to choose the best for the company is an ideal solution for these situations.