In running your business, how much do you think about customer security, notably how to keep them safe from identity theft thieves and cyber-criminals?
Unfortunately, too many business owners are not adept enough at making sure the risk to their customers is all but none.
As a result, some customers find a good reason to leave the business they’ve been dealing with, fearing that their personal data could be exposed, in some cases yet again.
While you are likely wrapped up in multiple facets of your business (increasing sales, marketing and advertising your brand, dealing with employees etc.), make sure keeping your customers’ private data is right up there at the top of the list.
If it isn’t, those current customers could very well become former ones before you know it.
What to Be Wary of
In order to keep your customers’ personal data as safe as possible, start by reviewing your current security practices, notably when it comes to credit card usage.
First and foremost, do you make it easy for those customers wanting to use credit cards to do so?
Having a smooth credit card process is of course great, but make sure that ease of use doesn’t compromise secure transactions.
Start by looking at the protocol in place for each and every credit card transaction you accept.
If the process is not as secure as it should be, you can pretty much label it a disaster waiting to happen.
Where to Go for Help
On the bright side, there is help out there for you maintain a safe and secure credit card acceptance process.
Take note, the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards Council a while back formed the PCI Data Security Standard (DDS), making it so companies (just like yours) meet the obligations required for customers’ credit card data.
In the event your company is subject to the PCI DDS rules and regulations, make sure you are abiding by them. Not doing so can create headaches for your brand, headaches you do not need with everything else on your plate.
To make sure you are in compliance, you can look to a managed security service provider such as ControlScan for assistance, giving you help at each step along the way.
Whether you are a start-up business or you’ve been in the game for many years, the bottom line means making sure you correctly deal with any and all security risks that your brand could very well face.
This threat has grown in waves in recent years as a result of many more businesses offering Ecommerce sales.
If you are in that group of businesses, you have even more to concern yourself with than if you were just accepting credit card transactions at your physical location.
What to do if a Breach Occurs
In the event there is a customer data breach at your business, what steps should you take to fix the problem?
For starters, don’t give your customers lip service as to how you will address and fix the problem. Make sure you level with them immediately.
Yes, they’re going to be upset there was a breach, but they will tone down their anger to a degree when they know you are working as fast and best as you can to fix the problem.
Also be sure you alert your customers to the steps they can take to address the matter, steps that can save them many financial headaches.
Finally, learn from the experience, allowing you to hopefully prevent it from happening again moving forward.
In order to keep that customer pipeline of sales flowing freely, making sure your customers trust you and how you handle their money is something you can’t afford to risk.
