Confusion persists in UK organisations despite the fact that PCI DSS Compliance has been on our collective agenda since 2006. In our work in the sector, the areas where we encounter most confusion can be brought into focus with three key questions: What payment card information are we talking about? We’re talking about sensitive authentication data including the full magnetic stripe data, card validation codes or pin and on no account can organisations retain such information, in any format, even if it is encrypted. What organisations does it apply to? Any organisation or merchant, regardless of size or number of transactions. If any of your customers ever pay you directly using a credit or debit card, then Data Security Standards requirements apply. Any implications for Call Recording? The rules apply to the capture and retention of information by any type of application including call and screen recording solutions. For organisations like yours that are using or evaluating call recording, it’s important to have a clear understanding of PCI. In a nutshell, no organisation, regardless of size or volume of transactions, is permitted to record and retain sensitive authentication data associated with card payments either within the applications you use or the technology you utilise to record calls. So what can you do? You can choose to transfer calls to an IVR for automated payment, or transfer calls to non-recorded agents, but both of these options have a negative impact on customer experience. Alternatively you can switch off call recording, but then you will lose all the benefits that you were seeking to achieve when recording was first deployed. Worse still, for organisations in Financial Services that record for compliance purposes, switching recording off might put you in breach of industry regulations. So if recording is important to your business and you need to take credit card payments, then you need to make changes to how your recording solution is deployed, ensuring that it does not capture and retain any personal authorisation information. Done correctly, you can record calls and be PCI compliant with no impact to the agent or the customer. Contact us now or call 0800 458 2988 for more details on how to ensure your organisation is PCI compliant. Written by: Business Systems UK
Blog 28 August, 2025 What is Conversational AI? A Beginner’s Guide to Smarter CX In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, businesses are under increasing pressure to deliver seamless and efficient customer experiences (CX). Customers expect quick responses, personalised interactions, and 24/7 availability. This is where Conversational AI comes in. By leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP), Conversational AI enhances customer service, automates interactions, and significantly improves operational
Blog 23 July, 2025 Mike Wardell Appointed Executive Chairman We are pleased to announce that Mike Wardell, former CEO of Business Systems Ltd, has transitioned to the role of Executive Chairman of both Business Systems and Wordwatch. This strategic move marks a significant milestone for both brands as they continue to strengthen their market-leading positions in customer contact solutions and communications governance and archiving.
Blog 16 July, 2025 Unlocking the Power of Conversation: How Interaction Analytics Is Reshaping Contact Centre Workforce Planning Contact centres are no longer just cost centres – they’re goldmines of actionable insight. And in 2025, forward-thinking customer contact leaders are discovering that the most untapped resource in their operations isn’t in headcount or tech—it’s the conversations they’re already having. Welcome to the era of interaction analytics. With the power to transform how you
Blog 8 July, 2025 From Hype to Impact: AI Strategies for Maximum ROI AI is revolutionising customer contact – but for many contact centres, the results aren’t matching the promise. Despite a surge in experimentation, too many organisations find themselves in “pilot paralysis”: high on potential, low on return. Contact centres need to adopt AI, but many are hitting the same wall: inconsistent ROI. Why? Because not all
Blog 3 June, 2025 Why Workforce Engagement is Key to Retaining Contact Centre Agents Call of Duty: Why Engaged Agents Stay in Contact Centres One repeat challenge our consultants see when we partner with new organisations is Agent retention. With increasing customer expectations, hybrid working models, and AI-driven efficiencies reshaping the contact centre industry, there is always an ongoing pressure for organisations to keep agents engaged and motivated in
Blog 15 May, 2025 How OpenAI’s o3 and o4 Mini Models are a major step forward in Conversational AI for Contact Centres The release of OpenAI’s latest large language models – o3 and o4 mini – represents a major step forward in the evolution of enterprise-grade AI for customer service. These new models are purpose-built to handle complexity, improve reasoning, and scale automation without compromising control or compliance. For contact centres looking to enhance customer experiences and
Blog 1 April, 2025 AI Agents in Contact Centres: Are You Ready for the Future? The Future of Customer Service is Here The contact centre industry is undergoing a significant transformation. Rising customer expectations, increasing operational costs, and workforce shortages are putting immense pressure on businesses to deliver seamless customer experiences while maintaining profitability. The companies that embrace AI agents today are the industry leaders of tomorrow – those that
Blog 10 February, 2025 What is Agentic AI and Why Does It Matter to You? Agentic AI is transforming contact centres by enabling systems to act autonomously, adapt to new situations, and proactively achieve goals – much like a human agent. But how does it differ from traditional automation, and why should contact centre leaders take notice? What is Agentic AI? Unlike rule-based automation, Agentic AI makes independent decisions, learns