What is PCI compliance in a call center?

Taking card payments over calls? You’re handling gold.

But with that comes risk. A single exposed card number can cost you big.

In 2023 alone, payment card fraud losses hit $38.5 billion worldwide. 

Call centers are easy targets—agents, recordings, even screen shares can leak data.

This is why PCI compliance isn’t optional. 

It’s a global security standard designed to protect cardholder data at every stage—during calls, after calls, and everywhere in between.

Whether you’re a small support team or a large-scale contact center, PCI DSS applies. 

This article will walk you through what PCI compliance is, why it matters, and some best practices.

Because when it comes to data, compliance isn’t a box you check. It’s how you build trust.

A. What is PCI compliance?

When customers share their credit card details on a call, that data becomes your responsibility. PCI compliance helps you protect it.
 
PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of security rules that businesses must follow when handling cardholder data. 

It was created by major credit card companies (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, etc.) in 2006 to reduce data theft and fraud.
 
The main goal? Keep sensitive data out of the wrong hands.

1. Origin & objectives of PCI DSS

The PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) was formed to fight rising card-related fraud. Its objective was simple:

Create one global standard to secure credit card information across all industries.

It applies to any organization that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data—call centers included.

2. The 6 major goals of PCI compliance

To stay compliant with PCI DSS, your contact center must meet six core goals. These goals serve as the foundation for keeping cardholder data safe.

• Build and maintain a secure network
  Set up firewalls and avoid using vendor-supplied default passwords. Your network must be strong enough to block unauthorized access.
  
• Protect cardholder data
  This means encrypting stored and transmitted data. Whether it’s in your CRM or passing through your VoIP system, sensitive details must be shielded.
  
• Maintain a vulnerability management program
  Install antivirus tools, patch your systems, and monitor for threats. Cybercriminals exploit outdated software—don’t give them that chance.
  
• Implement strong access control measures
  Not every agent needs access to sensitive data. Set role-based permissions and limit data exposure.
  
• Regularly monitor and test networks
  Keep an eye on your systems 24/7. Use logs, alerts, and penetration tests to detect and fix security gaps early.
  
• Maintain an Information Security Policy
  Document everything—how data is handled, who’s responsible, and what steps are taken to stay secure. Train your team to follow it.

3. PCI compliance tiers: Where does your call center stand?

PCI DSS has 4 levels of compliance. These levels are based on how many card transactions your call center handles each year. Each level has different rules for how closely your security measures are reviewed.

Level 1 – Large call centers or enterprises

• Handles: Over 6 million card transactions per year (across all channels).
  
• Requirements:
  
  • Must go through a full on-site audit every year by a certified PCI assessor (QSA).
  • Must run quarterly vulnerability scans by an approved scanning vendor (ASV).
    

Level 2 – Mid-sized operations

• Handles: 1 to 6 million transactions annually.
  
• Requirements:
  
  • Must complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) each year.
  • May also require quarterly ASV scans depending on how you handle payments.

Level 3 – Smaller E-commerce or remote call teams

• Handles: 20,000 to 1 million e-commerce transactions yearly.
  
• Requirements:
  • Must fill out the appropriate SAQ every year.
  • Must complete quarterly ASV scans if they store, process, or transmit cardholder data.

Level 4 – Small businesses or startups

• Handles:
  
  • Fewer than 20,000 e-commerce transactions, or
  • Up to 1 million overall transactions (including POS or phone).
    
• Requirements:
  
  • Fill out a yearly SAQ.
  • ASV scans are recommended, though not always required.

Why Does It Matter?

Knowing your level helps you understand what steps you need to take.

It also tells you how much support or documentation is required to stay compliant.

Even small call centers can face heavy fines or lose customer trust if they’re not secure.

Being PCI compliant protects both your customers and your business from data breaches and fraud.

C. Top 10 PCI compliance best practices for call centers

Handling payment data comes with serious responsibility. 

A single slip-up can lead to a costly data breach or compliance violation. That’s why PCI compliance isn’t just a checklist—it’s a mindset.

Here are 10 practical strategies to help your call center stay compliant, protect customer data, and avoid penalties.

1. Redact sensitive information from call recordings

When customers share their credit card details on a call, that information can accidentally get recorded. 

Things like the 16-digit card number, CVV, or expiration date should never be stored—even in voice recordings.

Call recordings are often stored for training, audits, or dispute resolution. 

But if they include sensitive payment data, they become a goldmine for hackers. 

A single breach can expose hundreds or even thousands of card numbers, leading to fraud, fines, and loss of trust.

How to fix this?

Use tools that automatically pause or mute the recording when payment information is entered.

Some systems even detect sensitive data patterns (like 16-digit numbers) and remove them from recordings.

If agents manually key in data, make sure screen recording is paused during entry.

2. Secure your network and infrastructure

Your call center’s network is like a door to all your systems. If that door is unlocked, hackers can easily walk in and steal sensitive payment data. That’s why securing your network is a big part of PCI compliance.

What does this mean?

You need to protect everything—your internet connection, internal systems, and even the phones your agents use. A weak firewall or open port can be all it takes for cybercriminals to get in.

What can you do?

Set up firewalls to block unauthorized access.

Use secure Wi-Fi networks and turn off guest access.

Regularly check your systems for vulnerabilities with network scans.

Install intrusion detection systems to catch anything suspicious.

3. Implement role-based access controls

Not everyone in your call center needs access to all payment data. Giving full access to every employee can increase the risk of data leaks or breaches.

What does this mean?

Role-based access control (RBAC) means setting permissions based on a person’s job role. For example, a supervisor might access more data than a regular agent. This limits who can see or handle sensitive cardholder information.

How to do it?

Define clear roles for all employees.

Assign access only to systems and data necessary for their job.

Regularly review and update these permissions.

Remove access immediately when someone leaves the company or changes roles.

4. Restrict agent use of pen, paper & mobile devices

Using pen and paper or personal mobile devices during calls can lead to accidental leaks of sensitive card data. When agents write down card numbers or store them on phones, it increases the risk of theft or loss.

Why is this risky?

Physical notes can be misplaced or seen by unauthorized people. Mobile devices might not have proper security, making stored information vulnerable to hacking or sharing.

How to prevent this?

• Ban writing down card details on paper during calls.
  
• Prohibit using personal phones or devices to capture or store payment information.
  
• Use secure, PCI-compliant tools and software that mask or tokenize card data on screen.
  
• Train agents on the risks of recording sensitive data outside secure systems.
  

5. Use strong encryption and key management

Encryption protects cardholder data by turning it into unreadable code during storage and transmission. Strong encryption makes it very hard for hackers to steal or misuse sensitive data.

Why is this important?

Without encryption, data can be intercepted and read easily when sent over networks or stored in databases.

How to do it right?

• Use industry-standard encryption methods like AES-256.
  
• Encrypt all cardholder data both when it’s stored and when it’s sent across networks.
  
• Manage encryption keys securely—store keys separately and rotate them regularly.
  
• Limit access to keys only to authorized personnel.

6. Adopt tokenization and secure payment channels

Tokenization replaces sensitive card data with a random string of characters called a token. This token has no value outside your system, so even if intercepted, it’s useless to attackers.

Why use tokenization?

It reduces the amount of sensitive data your call center stores, lowering risk. If tokens are stolen, the real card data remains safe.

Secure payment channels mean using safe methods for customers to provide payment info, like secure web forms or encrypted phone systems. This helps protect data during transmission.

7. Regularly update antivirus and anti-malware tools

Antivirus and anti-malware software protect your call center from harmful viruses and attacks. 

These threats can steal or damage sensitive cardholder data. Outdated software may not catch new viruses.

What does this mean?

It means your call center must keep all antivirus and anti-malware software up to date. 

Old or outdated software cannot protect against the latest threats, leaving your network vulnerable to attacks that can steal cardholder data.

How to do it?

• Set your antivirus tools to update automatically.
• Schedule regular scans on all computers and devices.
• Ensure every device on your network has active and updated antivirus software.
• Train your IT team to monitor updates and respond to alerts quickly.
• Regular updates help prevent malware infections and protect customer data.

8. Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

 Passwords alone aren’t enough to protect sensitive data. Hackers can steal or guess passwords easily. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds a second step to verify a user’s identity. 

What does it mean?

MFA means users must provide two or more forms of verification before accessing systems. This could be a password plus a text message code, an app-generated code, or biometric info like a fingerprint. Even if a password is stolen, MFA stops unauthorized access.

How to do it?

• Require MFA for all employees handling payment info or sensitive data.
• Use authentication apps (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator) or hardware tokens.
• Enable MFA on VPNs, email, CRM, and call center software.
• Train agents on why MFA matters and how to use it.
• Regularly review MFA settings and update as needed.

9. Treat PCI Compliance as an Ongoing Process

PCI compliance isn’t a one-time task. It’s a continuous effort to keep your call center secure. Threats change. Technology evolves. So should your compliance practices. 

What does it mean?

It means regularly reviewing and updating your security policies, tools, and procedures to meet PCI standards. You don’t “achieve” compliance once and forget about it. Instead, you build a system that keeps evolving to stay secure and compliant.

How to do it?

• Schedule regular PCI compliance audits and gap assessments
• Update policies and procedures as per the latest PCI DSS changes
• Set quarterly reviews to evaluate tools, processes, and team readiness
• Keep all departments informed of compliance requirements and updates
• Work with IT and compliance teams to ensure ongoing improvements
• Stay up-to-date with new threats and evolving best practices

10. Train Agents and Reinforce Compliance Behavior

 Your agents are the front line of your call center. Even with strong systems in place, a single mistake by an agent can lead to a data breach. 

What does it mean?

It means giving agents the right knowledge and tools to handle sensitive data. They should understand what PCI compliance is, why it matters, and how their actions impact it. Training shouldn’t be a one-time session—it must be ongoing, relevant, and practical.

How to do it?

• Conduct regular PCI compliance training during onboarding and at intervals
• Use real-world scenarios to teach how to handle sensitive payment data
• Share updates when PCI DSS standards change
• Set up monthly quizzes or mini refresher sessions
• Encourage managers to lead by example in enforcing compliance
• Recognize and reward compliant behavior to reinforce good practices
• Use call monitoring to identify training gaps and coach accordingly

D. Common PCI Compliance Pitfalls in Contact Centers

Even with best practices in place, many call centers struggle to stay fully PCI compliant. Small oversights can lead to major data breaches and fines. 

Let’s look at two of the most common pitfalls that weaken compliance efforts.

Pitfall 1: Inconsistent Enforcement

Policies exist, but they aren’t applied the same way across teams, locations, or shifts. What one agent gets away with, another might be penalized for.

Compliance isn’t optional. One weak link can expose customer data—and your business—to risk. Regulators won’t consider internal inconsistency a valid defense.

What You Can Do:

• Standardize policies across all teams and vendors.
• Use QA software to track adherence.
• Conduct surprise audits to catch gaps.
• Appoint PCI champions per team to ensure accountability.
• Reinforce policies during team huddles or weekly reviews.
  

Pitfall 2: Poor Training & Outdated Infrastructure

Your agents may not understand what PCI compliance even means. And your systems? 

They might be running on outdated frameworks that don’t support modern security protocols.

Untrained agents + old tech = a data breach waiting to happen. Even a small error (like saving a card number in notes) could lead to hefty fines.

What You Can Do:

• Offer regular PCI refresher training sessions.
• Upgrade outdated systems with PCI-compliant tools.
• Simulate real-world compliance scenarios during training.
• Include compliance metrics in agent performance reviews.
• Partner with IT to stay ahead of security updates.

Conclusion: Lead with Security

PCI compliance isn’t just about passing audits or avoiding fines. It’s about building customer trust—every single day. In call centers, where agents handle sensitive data around the clock, even one slip can break that trust permanently.

What sets secure, high-performing centers apart isn’t just technology. It’s discipline, training, and a culture of accountability.

Don’t wait for a breach to tighten your systems. Don’t treat PCI as a once-a-year headache. Instead, embed it into your daily workflows. Empower your agents. Equip your systems. And lead with the mindset that compliance is a business advantage, not a burden.

The cost of being proactive? Some planning and process.

The cost of neglect? Your reputation.

Your call.

FAQs