How to Navigate International Call Center Laws with Leading Call Center Solutions

According to a 2016 report from Willis Towers Watson, tech, media, and telecoms fear fines and penalties associated with regulations and data protection initiatives most. Their concern is understandable and likely held by the majority of business owners. Today’s companies encounter increased scrutiny and tighter regulatory climates, particularly if working overseas.

The European Union’s (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), for example, houses new data compliance laws. A simple example: the policy of opt out versus opt in. In the states, the standard is opt out. But across the pond, the EU asks businesses to employ an opt-in standard for customer-related communications.

3 Things To Know About The EU’s GDPR
1. The GDPR applies to everyone. If a business interacts with customers based in the European Union, its communication and data security practices fall under the purview and scrutiny of the GDPR.
2. The GDPR broadens the definition of personal data. Even if a business has been compliant with the EU in years past, they will want to reassess everything in light of the GDPR. The GDPR views personal data as meaning any element that can identify an individual, including genetics, economics, and other information.
3. The GDPR requires additional company oversight. The GDPR calls for the appointment of a Data Protection Officer (DPO) in all organizations that regularly and systematically monitor personal data or process large amounts of specialized data.

Businesses with international clients must either follow the GDPR or face the penalties and fines. They of course would prefer the latter; penalties and fees not only pose financial fallout but also put the company’s reputation in jeopardy.

Fortunately, U.S.-based companies can mitigate those kinds of risks by protecting consumer data and investing in best-in-class call center solutions. The two-pronged approach helps companies stay in compliance, inside and outside the United States, and remain in communication with customers.

Why You Should Safeguard Data

Safeguarding data truly is an act of self-preservation. If nothing else, taking steps to secure data keeps the information contained within the physical and digital walls of the business. Unless a company wants to show up on a list of breached businesses — no one’s immune these days, not even the “little guys” — it must take a proactive stance on data security and privacy.

3 Tips to Improve Data Security
1. Perform a security audit, identifying endpoints and assessing data entry and transmission.
2. Define sensitive data. Not all data needs to be saved while some data should only be viewed by a select few. By defining sensitive data — what it is, where it is, who has access to it — businesses minimize risks related to security and compliance.
3. View data security as a long-term investment. Saving a few dollars today won’t do any good tomorrow when a compliance issues arises or a data breach occurs.

Plus, implementing a data security strategy now helps when adding tools like cloud-based call center solutions later. Securing data typically involves some “spring cleaning,” which allows a call center platform or other software to get up and running that much faster. And, as a corollary benefit, businesses generate a clean data pool ripe for measurement and analysis.

Why You Should Purchase A Call Center Platform

Businesses employ many tools to oversee customer relationships and experiences. Marketing automation and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software are the better-known platforms. However, modern — i.e., cloud-based — call center solutions perform an increasingly critical role in ensuring compliance and maintaining healthy relationships with customers, patients, and other audiences.

3 Tips For Purchasing Quality Call Center Solutions
1. Look for solutions with built-in compliance suites. Business owners should be able to spend their time running the business, not trying to keep up with call center regulations and standards.
2. Focus on solutions that secure endpoints. A robust cloud-based call center platform locks down internal and remote communication points, including IP addresses.
3. Identify solutions that not only secure personal data but also analyze it. Leading call center solutions do more than protect businesses and organizations from customer complaints and lawsuits. They segment and analyze personal data so that companies can better communicate with customers.

Such solutions, including TCN’s, aim to secure the personal data collected by businesses and organizations. However, they offer advantages beyond data security alone. They ensure compliance, both stateside and internationally, lowering a company’s risk profile. They also use collected data to good effect. With modern call center platforms, businesses always know what’s going on with their clients and what’s being done to keep their information safe.

Compliance is scary, particularly for businesses and organizations with international clients. But they can overcome the fear and minimize risk by investing in data security best practices and leading call center solutions. To get started with the latter, ask TCN for a demo today.