Payment card safety is key for operators and customers, firm says
ENSURING credit and debit cards are handled with care can benefit both the operator and the customer, according to Lisa Rornes of payment security firm CardsSafe.
With potential risks to the customer including identity theft and credit card fraud, and risks to businesses ranging from walkouts to chargebacks, Rornes said creating a safe environment for handling card transactions is crucial.
“If you don’t have a safe environment people won’t hand over their card,” said Rornes.
“If someone (a member of staff) asks for a credit card and puts it in a glass jar people won’t feel very safe.”
Rornes warned that operators should “never store customer card details in an unsecure environment,” adding that showing due care and attention to a customer’s card is about “security and privacy, and also added customer service”.
If you don’t have a safe environment people won’t hand over their credit card.
Under the CardsSafe system, she said the credit and debit cards of guests who are running a tab can be kept secure by staff placing the card in an individual drawer and providing the customer with the key. When the customer wishes to leave, they return the key to the staff member who will remove the card and process the bill.
Rornes claims this system not only reduces walkouts but also prevents costly mistakes in billing.
“The worst case scenario is giving the wrong card back to someone,” said Rornes.
“Someone can then mess up and block the card, then a bill can’t be settled because the card has been blocked.”
CardsSafe is currently used by a range of operators including Jamie’s Italian,TGI Fridays, Stonegate, Young’s, Hilton Hotels and De Vere Hotels.
