Semafone starts 2018 with second PCI Award for Excellence

Semafone’s patented Cardprotect solution has been recognised once again as the industry-leading solution for compliance and data protection at the PCI Awards for Excellence, run by AKJ Associates. The award was given to Semafone for its “outstanding PCI DSS project”, delivered alongside 360 Solutions to online electrical retailer, AO.com.

The implementation of Cardprotect has not only meant full PCI DSS compliance for AO.com, but also significant financial savings for the retailer; using 360 Solutions’ Gamma-hosted platform to migrate all phone lines onto SIP trunks, AO.com now has complete scalability for peak times and seasonal demands.

The project also saw a rise in both customer and agent satisfaction, with customers expressing appreciation for the extra security the household appliance retailer had put in place.

This is the second year running in which Semafone has achieved success at the PCI Awards for Excellence. Last year the company won an award for projects with broadcast giant Sky and insurance company AXA.

Adam Warne, group IT director at AO.com commented “Securing customer data is a top priority for us, and PCI compliance is an essential part of this. Semafone’s approach, of taking data out of the contact centre entirely, achieves both objectives at once. It also allows us to go a long way in preparing for the incoming EU GDPR. It’s great to see the team receive recognition for their hard work”.

Oliver Marsden, Operations Director at 360 Solutions said “As the regulatory landscape continues to grow in complexity, it’s increasingly important for us to have strong partnerships with companies who can help our customers achieve compliance. Semafone offers companies like AO.com the opportunity to de-scope their contact centres, which is something we expect to see more of. The award is well-deserved and we look forward to many more successful implementations with the Semafone team.”

CEO Tim Critchley said “The need for stringent data protection is more important than ever; helping companies to descope their contact centre environment and achieve PCI DSS compliance is a key part of data security. We’re delighted to be recognised for helping AO.com to secure customer data, alongside our partner 360 Solutions.”

Semafone provides software to contact centres so they can take personal data securely over the telephone. Semafone’s data capture method collects sensitive information such as payment card or bank details and social security numbers directly from the customer’s telephone keypad for processing. This prevents personal data from entering the contact centre, which protects against the risk of fraud and the associated reputational damage, ensuring compliance with industry regulations such as PCI DSS.

The company was founded in 2009 and now supports customers in 22 countries on five continents. Semafone is vertical agnostic and its extensive customer base includes companies such as AO.com, AXA, The British Heart Foundation, Rogers Communications, Santander, Sky, TalkTalk and parts of the Virgin Group.

BT offers a hosted version of Semafone’s technology – Cloud Contact PCI. Major investors of Semafone include Octopus Investments and BGF (Business Growth Fund).

Semafone has achieved the four leading security and payment accreditations: ISO 27001:2013, PA-DSS certification for Cardprotect its payment solution, PCI DSS Level 1 Service Provider and is a registered Visa Level 1 Merchant Agent.