Looking into DTMF Card Payments
DTMF stands for Dual Tone Multi Frequency, it’s a telecommunications system that uses the keypad tones over telephone lines. When you press a button on your phone pad, it generates a sound that is DTMF signalling. Equipment interprets the tone of the transmitted sound to determine which button was pressed.
This technology lets people interact with automated systems over the phone, like an interactive menu or dialling an extension. When DTMF tones are muted or masked (DTMF Suppression), companies can process sensitive information without it being handled directly by the staff member. This process helps reduce the risk of data interception.
Without the implementation of DTMF masking technology organisations could face the risk of malicious attacks targeting their data. This includes the potential for internal attacks from rogue agents within their contact centres or customer service teams. By having the ability to mask the numerical input of card details, for example, it can significantly reduce risk of these threats.
PCI Compliant DTMF Payments
The PCI-DSS is a set of security standards to ensure companies handle credit card details securely. This was a standardised compliance practice introduced in 2004 to protect consumers and organisations.
Companies taking telephone payments, often referred to as MOTO (Mail Order Telephone Order) transactions can find PCI compliance difficult. This is due to both their phone system, internal IT network and staff being exposed to the sensitive card information. This makes it next to impossible for companies to achieve compliance without specialised technology.
Many companies use PCI-Compliant DTMF Payments as an automated way to process phone payments. Customers enter their card details, such as the card number, expiry date, and security code, into the phone keypad. This in turn sends DTMF signals to a payment application that processes the payment.
The problem with an automated payment line is that the customer experience can be poor. This is where payment applications that use DTMF masking can help. Phone payment technology like PayGuard allows a payer to enter their card information. It subsequently blocks, mutes or directs the DTMF signal after it has been received and keeps data secure.
Utilising DTMF Masking technology eliminates data breaches in businesses and call centres. By preventing any numerical data from entering the environment to begin with. There is no data stored on a server or heard by an agent. It also becomes extremely difficult for any hacker to access information if intercepting a phone call.
This reduces the risk of PCI non-compliance. It eliminates the need for agents to see, hear, or store sensitive data during phone calls. It also means there is no need for the caller to pause the call recording to enter details and the agent can remain on the line the whole time.
With further technological and compliance challenges arising each year due to an increase in financial risk on a daily basis, there has been significant pressure from banks, regulators and GDPR to be PCI Compliant. DTMF masking and suppression has become a favourite addition to the phone payment process due to its cost-effective manner of reducing risks involved with taking card payments over the phone.
Data Breach Reduction with DTMF Payments
By using DTMF masking there is no way that any sensitive data could be compromised by rogue agents looking to steal the information for malicious purposes. This is due to the way that sensitive information is intercepted and masked.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) specifies that any financial company that provides a service to customers and takes payments over the phone must record their calls for monitoring and audit purposes.
DTMF masking helps here, because when a payment is taken no sensitive data is heard, so cannot be recorded. The call recording is not paused at any point, making it a true and accurate reflection of the call. Even if call recording data is breached, there will be no sensitive card information held that can be used maliciously. This further reduces the risk behind any potential cyber-attacks.
There is a general trust obtained by the use of DTMF over reading card details during a transaction. The perception is that the business is taking care of the personal information of its customers. This is especially important due to the rise in awareness of data breaches in media reporting. Many consumers are becoming more sceptical and cautious as to who they state their card details to.
Customer Experience Improvements
Historically, when making payments over a phone call, an agent may have asked a customer to read their card details. This has been deemed to be an improper and risky approach which could lead to card details being stolen. Since then, companies worldwide have suggested and used many different solutions.
One of the solutions is to transfer a call to an automated input system while the customer states their details, in an attempt to mask the information from both the agent and the IT system. However, this can interrupt the conversation as well as lead to difficulties if there are questions.
The benefit of DTMF masking is that it allows the continuation of a conversation with customer and agent throughout the purchase. This allows a seamless transaction while the payment completes, ensuring there are no issues and allows the agent to guide a consumer through the process. This can be of significant benefit to those who may not be particularly technologically savvy.
One great thing about making a DTMF credit card payment is that it works well for all types of customers. Especially those who require any extra assistance during the process of taking payment. With data breaches happening more often, people who are cautious about risks can feel confident that their sensitive information is safe.
In Summary
In short, DTMF card payments play a big role for people who process payment information over the phone. Many may not even be aware of the technology or how it works. Hiding private information during payments and improving customer experience are key advantages of using DTMF technology. This means that DTMF is expected to stay an important part of payment processing for companies worldwide.
PayGuard as a DTMF Payment Solution
In the video below, you can see just how simple PayGuard works as a complete DTMF Payment Solution. Not just a masking solution! This allows your customers to conveniently use their telephone to enter their card details to make a payment.
In the demonstration, we show how you can set up a recurring payment. But it is just as easy to create a one-off payment or refund!
- Your agent will simply select the phone keypad as the process to make a payment.
- Enter the payment amount and details.
- Select a payment gateway (PayGuard allows easy selection of multiple gateways).
- The customer is then asked to use their keypad to enter their details, at no point is your agent exposed to this sensitive data. Making you PCI DSS compliant and secure with minimal effort.
- The agent then simply reviews the final payment details and submits the DTMF payment. Alternatively, if there is an error they can easily edit payment information on this screen.
- Payment is now complete, and the agent can move on quickly and stress-free to serve your next customer. In fact, it all takes less than a minute.
PayGuard®’s technology includes this DTMF Payment Solution as just one of its many innovative features. All these features significantly reduce your PCI DSS scope, risk of breaches and fraud.
Please fill out the contact form below for a personal demonstration of the PayGuard DTMF solution. We will show you how easy and compliant it is to take payments.
