Fortifying Your Contact Center: Top 5 Ways to Improve Contact Center Security

Are you running a contact center and constantly worried that your data is getting hacked? If so, you are not alone.  There are hundreds of thousands of business owners who are tired of their call center data getting hacked or accessed. This has become a big headache for everyone. 

So, if you are one of those people who are looking for ways to improve your call center security, you have come to the right place. We have brought the top 5 ways to improve contact center security. 

Let’s start. 🚀

A Brief Overview of the Importance of Contact Center Security

Enhanced Customer Trust

When businesses offer better security systems, customers can feel safe that their data are protected. This can lead the customers to trust the business, which enhances the customer experience and satisfaction. Finally, this level of security and trust encourages customers to stay loyal to the brand. It’s a win-win situation for both the customer and the business. 

Compliance with Regulation 

Every business or industry that deals with customer data must align with various compliance regulations, and contact centers are no exception. So, it is always better for call centers to take proactive measures and improve their security system. This can help avoid any legal issues. Moreover, it can help in developing the brand value in the market. 

Improving a security system is far better than paying penalties and losing customers, isn’t it? It is not rocket science. 

Financial Safety 

The most common reason for hackers to hack or get unauthorized access to customer and business information is for financial gain. Businesses and customers alike can lose a huge sum of money if the contact center security system is not planned and implemented properly. So, improving the contact center security has to do something with financial safety. 

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Contact Center Security Compliance Checklist

1. Physical Security

The physical security in a contact center refers to the physical protection of data and information. For instance, the process of giving access to only a handful of employees for the record room can be considered physical security. Usually, contact centers offer the following to implement the physical security measures:

• Controlling Access.
• Implementing Secure Data Storage Protocols.
• Using suitable equipment.

2. Network security

Most contact centers have gone digital. This means that the data of businesses and customers are saved in cloud storage. This is a convenient means of storage; however, it sometimes comes with a hefty price for security issues. So, contact centers can implement the following for network security. 

• Firewalls and intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS)
• Data encryption
• Network segmentation. 

3. Data Security 

Contact centers are bound to control the authorization of information to employees, record and keep only necessary information, and create a regular backup in case of data loss. This might vary depending on the nature and size of the contact center, but the implementation of data security usually involves. 

• Specified access controls.
• Data minimization.
• Data encryption.
• Regular backup.

4. Regulatory Compliance 

Last but not least, there is regulatory compliance. Every business that deals with customer data must align with the required regulatory compliance for their operation. There are a number of compliances. Some of the most important and famous ones are as follows:

• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
• HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
• PCI DSS (The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)

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Ways to Improve Contact Center Security

As discussed, the importance of contact center security is increasing every day. So, the call centers must pay extra attention to implementing and maintaining security systems in their business. Our security experts have prepared a list of the top five ways to improve your contact center security, which are as follows. 

1. Authentication and Encryption 

Enhancing call center security and privacy begins with implementing methods of authentication and encryption for your systems, devices, and communications. Authentication includes verifying the identities of both agents and customers, while encryption involves converting data into a code that cannot be easily deciphered.

2. Role Based Access

Giving everyone access to data and information is very risky. This can lead to a higher chance of data breaches as it can be difficult to manage and handle more people. In addition, it also does not make much sense to give access to data to those people who don’t need it. 

Offering access to a handful number of people also encourages accountability and responsibility among the employees while diminishing the overall risk and security threat. 

3. Regular Monitoring 

Contact center security is not just a one-time job. It requires constant monitoring and protection. First, regular monitoring ensures that there are no vulnerabilities in the security system. Secondly, even in case of security issues, contact centers can take the necessary precautions and actions very quickly, which can reduce the consequences. 

4. Employee Education and Training

You can implement all the security you want for external threats. However, you can still face security issues if your customers are not competent. So, it is very crucial for every contact center to train and educate their employees on how to handle the data properly. 

When the agents know the importance of data security and the ways to handle it, they can be safe from unintentional and malicious attacks. 

5. Update and Backup

The threat of contact center security is not limited to hacking and being accessed without any authority. There are threats that the data can be lost, which can be a huge loss for the business. To avoid this kind of unforeseen and unwanted scenario, call centers need to update their system as frequently as possible. Moreover, it is always a good idea to keep a backup of every important data. 

Growing Challenges and Threats in the Contact Center Environment

External Threats 

It can be difficult to navigate and prevent external threats, and the consequences might be very dangerous, considering the attacker might be anyone. It is usually done for financial gain, however there can be some chances it is done for another purpose. For instance, getting the information to gain a competitive advantage over the competitors. There are increasing cases of

• Phishing 
• Hacking
• Unauthorized access
• Vishing 
• Social engineering hacks

Internal Threats

There is also a good chance that the attackers or the threats exist within the organization. For instance, some employees may unintentionally leak sensitive information, while other times, employees might engage in malicious actions for their own benefit, which can cause severe data breaches. 

Regulatory Compliance Changes

Finally, there is a challenge to address all regulatory compliance existing in the industry. There are various regulatory policies like HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS, and many more regulatory complaints are coming from various sectors and industries. 

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Conclusion

Summing up, the importance of contact center security is increasing every day. So, if you own a business and a call center, then it might be a wise idea to implement various security programs and initiatives. If you are having a second thought, consider going through the benefits of implementing various security measures in your call center. 

You can cover the best ways to improve the contact center security, as we have mentioned above. In addition, go through the challenges before implementing the security measure, as it could be a game changer. 

FAQs

How do you secure a call center?

There are a number of measures to secure a call center. Some of the most popular ones include: 

• Firewalls and intrusion detection systems
• Data Encryption
• Network Segmentation.
• Access control
• Regular backup
• Regular update

How can I improve my contact center?

Improving your contact center highly depends on the type of product or service your business offers. Saying that here are some of the best ways you can improve your contact center. 

• Integration of technology and softwares
• Investment in employee training and development
• Offering Great customer interaction and service
• Measure and track key performance indicators (KPIs)
• Gather customer feedback
• Emphasize positive workplace
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends

Why is security important in call centers?

Security is important in every business and industry, and call centers are no exception. Here are some common reasons why security is important in call centers.

• Protect sensitive information of the customers
• Align with the regulatory compliance 
• Avoid operational disruptions
• Build customer trust
• Maintain competitive advantage

What is BPO in the Call Center?

BPO, in Call Center, is an abbreviation for Business Process Outsourcing, which involves a company outsourcing its call center operations to a third-party provider. This includes inbound service, outbound service, technical support, and back-office support.