The value of data to modern business cannot be undervalued, and customer data, above all, is a critical connector. Info such as addresses, payment information and other personal data provide rich context to paint the customer profile. Background details can be crucial in shaping customer experience interactions, but if you’re storing customer data, privacy has to be properly secured.

If rigorous security and data compliance standards are not enforced, the broad range of customer information will be vulnerable to the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape. There were more data compromises as a result of a cyberattack in 2021 than all data compromises in 2020 put together, while ransomware-related data breaches doubled in 2020 and then doubled again in 2021. Threat actors cost companies dearly, with an IBM and Ponemon Institute study reporting that the average cost of a data breach in 2021 reached US$4.24 million, the highest amount in 17 years.

For customer-focused organizations, securing cloud-based contact center platforms can be central to shoring up customer uncertainty and trust in the service. Cloud migrations can be challenging when part of greater digital transformation efforts as firms modernize legacy infrastructure to keep up with changing consumer behavior, vendor partner ecosystem updates, and compliance standards. There are many points at which data can be vulnerable when moving or at rest on internal servers, cloud environments, or moving through endpoints.

Every internal system and software should adhere to the strictest security standards to reduce liability for failing to safeguard valuable, sensitive customer data. At a time when record numbers of contact center personnel are operating remotely, data localization headaches can abound. For example, a customer service rep might be based in India, while most of the company’s network and infrastructure are hosted out of Singapore. In those situations, it is not uncommon for data passed between the two points to have to be compliant with the data privacy and sharing laws in both countries.

As employee access and data become increasingly distributed, it is no longer secure (if it ever was) to protect the network alone. At a time when data collection is at an all-time high, protection measures seem to be increasingly fragmented – the network security perimeter lacks cover for off-premises, and firms are quickly adapting newer technologies with different security needs. In most cases, security systems are playing catch-up.

Many companies are investing in the quality of their customer experience (CX) interactions, with lots of new data collected to train AI chatbots better, develop insights and further refine customer experience strategies. Customer data analytics can be harnessed to provide granular CX findings that can be extremely valuable to the business.

To make full use of this information securely, call centers need to have the right IT infrastructure that integrates security at each exposed layer. Role-based access and a disciplined password management system need to be enforced so only the right people can get to specific data.

Building a strong rapport with customers rests on reliable processes and protecting sensitive customer data, so the integrity of the contact center platform’s security (as well as that of the vendor ecosystem) will be vital to having better customer interactions.

And while consumers today are very concerned about data privacy, they are also demanding more personalized customer experiences. Supplying transparency into how data operations are managed can let the user know how their information is being used and stored and anonymized wherever possible. Openness gives the organization’s processes more credibility and provides the customer with more control over what information they share.

When it comes to security, privacy, and peace of mind for all your customer engagements, the Genesys Cloud CX contact center platform from Genesys Cloud Services not only meets but exceeds modern security standards. It offers fundamental data and cloud traffic security via TLS encryption and customer data protection using the 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithms. At Genesys, security is embedded throughout application and software development lifecycles, with frequent penetration testing and training for developers on web application security protocols.

Genesys adheres to multiple industry-specific regulatory compliance standards, from its data center facilities that comply with the most stringent industry security standards to its multi-layer access authentication and round-the-clock CCTV monitoring.

For a cloud contact platform with secure system architecture, ironclad security, and attractive service level agreements, as well as flexible pricing plans, the Genesys Cloud CX platform is the trustworthy, compliant, and transparent solution for the cloud-based contact center. Get in touch with Genesys to find out more about the Genesys Cloud CX platform today.