BLOG: Shop! Horror! Customers Fear Fraudulent Activity – by Lisa Mitchell

Fraud! The mere mention of the word is enough to send a shiver down the spine of many a shopper.

According to a recent report published by Connected World, 71% of consumers said they felt uncomfortable about giving out their details to contact centre operatives, with 42% pulling the plug on potential purchases as a result.

Worrying statistics indeed!  But as outsourcers in the contact centre industry, what can we do to stem the flow of fraudulent activity? Well, we must ensure we get back to basics for one. That means no pens or paper on accounts that take card details.

Moreover, it’s vital that contact centres adhere to their legal obligations. Whilst it’s irritating for all of us when we forget passwords – customers can only benefit from stringent compliance procedures and a strict adherence to DPA standards is a big part of that.

Contact centres must also avoid complacency when it comes to maintaining high security standards. We should all ensure staff are alerted to the importance of competency and compliance issues at the very beginning of their lifecycle – even during the recruitment process and this should be followed through with regular on-going awareness training.  

At The Listening Company, we make sure all of our Advisers complete a compliance module during their induction, after which, Quality Assurance Managers pick up the mantle and continue to monitor their progress. But even our QAs are subject to constant review and face frequent ‘check the checker’ assessments to ensure all angles are covered.  

Consumer fears aren’t going to ease overnight. It’s down to all us to knuckle down and prove our credibility in the customer service domain. But more than anything, Advisers must believe that their company’s security processes are strong and robust which is why communication and reaffirmation of policies and procedures is so important.

by Lisa Mitchell – Director of Compliance & Business Assurance, Feb 14 2011, 09:08 AM