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INDUSTRY LEADING COLLECTIONS OUTSOURCING AGENCY DLC REMOVES CONTACT CENTRE FROM SCOPE OF PCI COMPLIANCE WITH TECHNOLOGY FROM SEMAFONE

Published by Gbaf News

Posted on December 6, 2014

3 min read

· Last updated: November 1, 2023

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Dlc Collaborates With Semafone For Payment Security

One of the UK’s largest privately owned debt collection agencies, dlc, announces investment in Semafone’s technology for telephone payment security.

dlc, one of the largest debt collection agencies in the UK, has implemented software from Semafone® to enhance data security and give peace of mind to customers making payments over the phone.

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Comprehensive Services And Call Centre Operations

dlc serves a diverse customer base, offering services that include outsourced credit control, litigation tracing and debt purchase as well as debt recovery. Call centres and payment processes are central to the successful provision of many of these services, so the safe and secure handling of sensitive credit and debit card details is essential for customer confidence. dlc has integrated Semafone’s technology into its Sopra banking collections system and Noble enterprise solution to enhance the security of telephone payments, reassuring end users that their payment card data will be handled securely.

Implementing A Robust PCI Compliant Solution

The process of delivering this PCI compliant solution involved both dlc’s Qualified Security Assessor NCC and its acquiring bank, Barclaycard. Both of these organisations worked closely with Semafonein the final stages of the project to ensure a successful implementation.

How Semafone Technology Enhances Payment Security

Semafone’s payment method allows customers to enter card numbers directly into their telephone keypad when they make a payment over the phone. From here, the numbers are transmitted directly to the bank so no details are stored on dlc’s computers. This completely removes the contact centre from the scope of Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) regulations. The keypad tones are disguised so that numbers cannot be identified by their sound, leaving the agent free to continue the conversation with the customer while the payment is made.

“Working with the dlc team we have built an extremely advanced solution, supported by a robust testing programme to ensure its smooth operation and rapid acceptance by users,” said Tim Critchley, CEO of Semafone. “dlc’s call centre has now adopted the Secured by Semafone trust mark, demonstrating to customers that their card details are safe and that they will never be asked to speak the numbers out loud.”

“Semafone’s proven experience in dealing with high volumes of card transactions, along with the industry knowledge of the Semafone team, meant that it really stood out from other solutions,” commented Steve Grima, Operations Director at dlc. “We have been able to remove our contact centre completely from PCI scope while providing our customers with absolute confidence in the security of their card transactions. Delivering a positive customer experience is at the heart of our operations and Semafone is really helping us to achieve this.”

Key Takeaways

  • dlc, a leading UK debt collection agency, integrated Semafone’s telephone payment security software.
  • The new system allows customers to enter payment details via phone keypad, masking the tones and sending data directly to the bank, keeping dlc’s contact centre out of PCI DSS scope.
  • Implementation was supported by dlc’s Qualified Security Assessor (NCC) and Barclaycard as the acquiring bank.
  • Semafone’s solution delivers secure payments while agents continue conversations, and dlc’s contact centre now displays the ‘Secured by Semafone’ trust mark.
  • This deployment enhances customer confidence and de‑scopes PCI compliance burdens for dlc.

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What technology did dlc implement to enhance payment security?
dlc integrated Semafone’s telephone payment security software, which masks DTMF tones and routes card data directly to the bank so that dlc’s systems never handle or store card details.
How does this remove the contact centre from PCI compliance scope?
Because card data is entered by customers via masked keypad tones and transmitted directly to the bank, dlc’s contact centre systems are bypassed, meaning they no longer store or process sensitive payment data and are outside PCI DSS scope.
Who supported the implementation process?
The project was supported by dlc’s Qualified Security Assessor NCC and its acquiring bank, Barclaycard, who worked closely with Semafone to ensure successful deployment.
Can agents still speak with customers during payment?
Yes — Semafone’s system disguises keypad tones allowing agents to continue the conversation while the customer enters payment details.
What trust mark does dlc now display to reassure customers?
dlc’s contact centre has adopted the “Secured by Semafone” trust mark to indicate that customer card details are handled securely.

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