Sterling Payment Technologies Hits 68% Merchant PCI Enrollment in 4 Months

TAMPA, Fla. and SALT LAKE CITY, March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Sterling Payment Technologies, a large Florida-based payment card processor, enrolled 68% of its merchant portfolio in its Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance program in just four months using SecurityMetrics' PCI Site Certification Services. More than two-thirds of those enrolled – representing 48% of Sterling's merchant customers – achieved PCI compliance validation in the same period.

To achieve these results, Sterling began educating its merchants months in advance of program implementation via monthly newsletters and statement messages. Sterling also created a merchant PCI portal with links and documents explaining PCI and merchant responsibilities for compliance, and established a dedicated PCI team of service representatives to answer initial merchant questions before beginning their Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) process.

SecurityMetrics was selected as Sterling's partner because of their commitment to service, responsiveness, flexibility and live support through their 175-person call center. That call center is available to answer merchants' PCI questions with no upcharge to SecurityMetrics' flat fee per merchant, eliminating hurdles encountered with online-only programs that offer no live assistance.  

"PCI is daunting for most merchants. They have trouble answering online questions and many need help while completing their SAQ," said Karla Jenkins, Sterling's Director of Product Development. "SecurityMetrics' large call center and email support provide a critical component and were a key factor in choosing our PCI vendor. That human touch is proving to be a linchpin in the success of our PCI program."

Sterling, a registered ISO and MSP of Merrick Bank, Paymentech, and Wells Fargo Bank, also is taking full advantage of the other features of SecurityMetrics' PCI compliance services. These include:

• Vulnerability assessment via SecurityMetrics' proprietary scanning engine, which checks for more points of Internet security than other services and individually lists each potential entry point on the SecurityMetrics Site Certification Report.  
• Multi-channel communications to encourage merchant enrollment, including a steady campaign of emails, faxes and outbound calls executed on behalf of the bank or ISO.
• Merchant Compliance Console, a web-based portal that equips acquirers and ISOs with detailed real-time information on campaign progress, drilldown to merchant scan and questionnaire results, and easy PCI compliance reporting.
• Unlimited 12-month 24x7 telephone support on the SAQ, scanning and other general security questions included for a flat fee per merchant, eliminating additional charges for one-on-one merchant assistance.

"Sterling's results are unusual for Level 4 merchant PCI compliance programs, but they are typical for our clients," said SecurityMetrics CEO Brad Caldwell. "Our technology, procedures and hands-on assistance make PCI easy for merchants to understand, and for acquirers and ISOs to implement. These factors dramatically reduce the time and effort required to bring a merchant portfolio into compliance."

SecurityMetrics has validated nearly 400,000 small and mid-sized merchants for PCI DSS compliance to date, making the company one of the industry's largest providers of PCI compliance services. Its call center handles more than 100,000 calls per month.

The PCI DSS is a comprehensive set of global security requirements developed by the PCI Security Standards Council in order to safeguard cardholder data worldwide. The organization was founded by American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide, and Visa, Inc.

For more information about SecurityMetrics' PCI compliance solutions, contact a representative at 801.724.9600 in North America or 0207.993.8030 in Europe.

About SecurityMetrics

SecurityMetrics, Inc. is a leading provider of Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) security solutions, including the most successful mass-merchant compliance model in the industry.  The company is certified to perform PCI Scans (ASV), PCI audits (QSA), Payment Application Data Security Standards audits (PA-QSA), penetration tests and forensic incident response assessments (QIRA). SecurityMetrics also offers a security appliance that includes vulnerability assessment, intrusion detection and intrusion prevention capabilities. SecurityMetrics is a privately held corporation headquartered in Orem, Utah. For more information, contact SecurityMetrics at (801) 724-9600 or visit www.securitymetrics.com.

About Sterling Payment Technologies

One of the fastest growing, innovative card processors in the electronic payment industry today, Sterling is a full-service provider of electronic payment processing services, including credit, debit, fleet, gift card, electronic benefits transfer (EBT) and check authorization and conversion. Sterling is known for bringing the latest technology, products and services to small, regional and national businesses quickly and affordably. Sterling also offers 24/7 support, custom applications, and the highest security standards in the industry. Sterling processes payment transactions for all major credit and debit card networks, including Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and JCB. For more information, visit www.SterlingPayment.com.

SOURCE SecurityMetrics