Page 56 - GS130901_flipbook.indd

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Educationucucatatioioionn
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Tip 4: Constant merchant communicationsip 4: Constant merchant communications
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Lather, rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat
Lather
Solid merchant communication is another not-so-classified secret of olid merchant communication is another not-so-classified secret of
S One thing I've learned in my hing I've learned in my
One t
PCI program success. From the beginning, I believed that if merchants didn't
PCI program success. From the beginning, I believed that if merchants didn't 10
10 years in the world of PCI years in the world of PCI
understand a question or felt overwhelmed with the requirements, they c
understand a question or felt overwhelmed with the requirements, they
compliance; once is not enough. ompliance; once is not enough.
should have access to a call center with friendly consultants who walk them ould have access to a call center with friendly consultants who walk them Along wit
sh
Along with our vendor, we spent h our vendor, we spent
through any challenges they face. That's another reason to select a vendor considerable time and money onsiderable time and money
through any challenges they face. That's another reason to select a vendor
c
that offers strong merchant support, preferably one whose center is open for p
that offers strong merchant support, preferably one whose center is open for
providing training, mail cam-roviding training, mail cam-
24 hours a day so merchants can call and have their questions answered and paigns and other means to train aigns and other means to train
24 hours a day so merchants can call and have their questions answered and
p
problems resolved. and motivate our merchants, yet chants, yet
problems resolved.
and motivate our mer
we still had calls from merchants om merchants
we still had calls fr
as
asking questions we'd answered king questions we'd answered
a million times before.llion times before.
a mi
The only way to combat this was he only way to combat this was
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multiple forms of communica-ltiple forms of communica-
mu
tion and technology. Email was a y. Email was a
tion and technolog
g
great start but was then supple-reat start but was then supple-
mented with fax, specific online
mented with fax, specific online
PCI information, mailings, webi-
PCI information, mailings, webi-
nars and supplementary videos.
nars and supplementary videos.
Accompanying online materials
Accompanying online materials
made it easier for merchants
made it easier for merchants
to see the necessity of PCI and
to see the necessity of PCI and
allowed them to keep up with
allowed them to keep up with
data security outside of the
data security outside of the
PCI realm.
PCI realm.
Impor
Importance of educationtance of education
Many merchants balked at our any merchants balked at our
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PCI initiative. Their objections CI initiative. Their objections
P
ranged from cost to discomfort ged from cost to discomfort
ran
with new technology. Through y. Through
with new technolog
numer
numerous communications, ous communications,
I I made sure to reference how made sure to reference how
F
FirstMerit was simplifying irstMerit was simplifying
t
the compliance process, the he compliance process, the
immense value of PCI com-lue of PCI com-
immense va
pliance in thwarting security
pliance in thwarting security
b
breaches and the risk of card reaches and the risk of card
data t
data theft to their business. heft to their business.
For my merchants with cost
For my merchants with cost
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concerns and fee sensitivity, oncerns and fee sensitivity,
I provided a list of what they provided a list of what they
I
r
received for their money.eceived for their money.
Coming up in "Seven tips for a suc-oming up in "Seven tips for a suc-
C
cessful mass PCI compliance pro-essful mass PCI compliance pro-
c
gram: Part 3" will be my thoughts on y thoughts on
gram: Part 3" will be m
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PCI program fees, program mainte-CI program fees, program mainte-
9LVLW ZZZ WKHDOSKDHGJH FRP JHWVWLFN\9LVLW ZZZ WKHDOSKDHGJH FRP JHWVWLFN\ nance and never giving up. giving up.
nance and never
Michelle Thompson is Vice President, ichelle Thompson is Vice President,
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EHFDXVH LW¶V \RXU RQO\ KRSH RI Merchant Fraud/Risk Officer at FirstMerit
EHFDXVH LW¶V \RXU RQO\ KRSH RI
Merchant Fraud/Risk Officer at FirstMerit
Bank. She manages both the PCI pro-
Bank. She manages both the PCI pro-
gram and Risk Mitigation for FirstMerit
VWD\LQJ LQ EXVLQHVV
VWD\LQJ LQ EXVLQHVV gram and Risk Mitigation for FirstMerit
Acquiring. She can be reached at
Acquiring. She can be reached at
michelle.thompson@firstmerit.com
michelle.thompson@firstmerit.com or or
330-849-8937.
330-849-8937.
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