Security Technology3 Minute Read

Why Increased Brand Security Improves Customer Loyalty

Did you know that effective security translates to brand loyalty and an improved customer experience? Large data breaches for top brands like Target, Marriott and Equifax are regularly splashed all over the news, as are the devastating effects on revenue from unhappy customers. It’s no surprise that customers become loyal to brands that make them feel safe. But not all companies understand the importance of providing enhanced brand security in a customer-centric environment. It’s important for contact center operations professionals to recognize how increasing brand security enhances customer loyalty and why it needs to be at the forefront of customer experience (CX) strategy — because loyalty is worth far more than aesthetics or technology alone. In this blog post, we’ll explore ways to boost both customer loyalty by taking a closer look at best practices for strengthening contact center security.

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The Importance of Brand Security

In today’s digital era, brand security has become a critical concern for businesses of all sizes. Brand security refers to the measures taken by organizations to protect their brand reputation and intellectual property from unauthorized use or infringement. It includes protecting trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets.

The importance of brand security cannot be overstated. Here are some reasons why it matters:

Protecting Brand Reputation

A company’s reputation is one of its most valuable assets. Any negative publicity or association with counterfeit products can seriously damage a brand’s image and lead to loss of consumer trust. By implementing strong brand security measures, companies can safeguard their reputation and maintain customer loyalty.

Preventing Revenue Loss

Counterfeit products not only harm a company’s reputation but also result in significant revenue losses due to lost sales and legal fees. According to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), counterfeiting and piracy will cost the global economy $4.2 trillion by 2022. By protecting their intellectual property rights, companies can prevent such losses.

Ensuring Compliance with Regulations

Companies must comply with various laws and regulations related to branding, advertising, labeling, packaging, and distribution. Failure to comply with these regulations can lead to hefty fines or legal action against the company.

Mitigating Cyber Threats

With the increasing use of technology in business operations, there has been a rise in cyber threats such as hacking, data breaches, and phishing attacks that can compromise a company’s sensitive information including trade secrets and customer data leading towards reputational damage & financial losses.

How to Ensure Effective Brand Security?

Whether it’s protecting customers’ personal data or ensuring a consistent level of service across the organization — it’s essential for companies to make sure that their brand security is airtight. Here are five steps that must be taken to ensure effective brand security measures are implemented:

Conduct Regular Audits to identify vulnerabilities in your current processes and areas that require improvement.
Monitor Online Channels like social media platforms for any potential infringements on trademarks or other IP.
Implement Training Programs to educate employees about best practices for identifying and reporting suspicious activity.
Leverage Technology Tools like watermarking & tracking software to monitor product distribution channels.
Enforce Legal Action against infringers when necessary.

Brand Security is crucial for businesses as it protects their reputation from potential damages caused by counterfeiting & piracy; preventing revenue loss; ensuring compliance with regulations while mitigating cybersecurity threats leading towards long-term business success. By implementing effective strategies outlined above businesses can protect themselves from potential damages while maintaining customer trust resulting in increased profitability levels over time.

The Importance of Testing Brand Security

The demand for accurate and informed security testing has never been more paramount to positive customer experiences. With regular testing, businesses can ensure confidential data is protected, which translates into customer loyalty as brand confidence grows. Breaches can occur in a multitude of ways, through website forms and chats to phone calls and phishing. According to a report from McAfee, the cost of cybercrime since 2018 is estimated to be over $1 trillion. With regular testing on all avenues of entry, any potential weaknesses may be identified in advance, eliminating a crisis which results in fleeing customers. The more secure your site is, the more likely a customer is to stay loyal to your brand. According to a recent survey, nearly “nine of ten consumers consider the trustworthiness of a business prior to purchasing a product or service; and 59% of consumers would likely avoid doing business with an organization that had experienced a cyberattack in the past year.” Transparency is key to healthy customer loyalty.

"It takes 20 years to build a reputation, and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently." - Warren Buffet Click To Tweet

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According to industry analyst Gartner, a new customer experience trend is Breach and Attack Simulation, where organizations are bringing on experts in this field to continually assess and test security controls to protect an organization from external threats and to protect confidential customer data.

So, where do you start? First, gather your team and discuss your goals in testing. Determine what you feel are your most vulnerable areas, and then discuss the best ways to keep your applications and networks secure. A few basic methods you may want to consider include installing firewalls and encryption to something as simple as keeping your systems and software up to date.

As you drill down, more specific options include:

Network Testing
- Vulnerability Assessment – A system of tests determines vulnerable areas in your systems and software
- Penetration Testing – An authorized simulated cyber-attack against your systems to find and exploit vulnerabilities
- Security Scanning – A process where different elements are scanned to determine flaws in applications, networks, or devices
- Red Team Exercises – Authorized cyber-attacks that mimic the steps a hacker would use based on recent real-world situations, where the “red team” plays the role of an enemy or competitor
Application Testing
- Program Update Checks – Application security assessments test your software to identify vulnerabilities
Social Engineering
- Phishing Assessments – Method which sends deceptive automated emails to employees from your organization so employees can see the types of emails which are suspect and understand how to avoid engaging with them
- Vishing – Similar to phishing but uses phone calls to obtain sensitive information
- Smishing – Similar to vishing and phishing but uses text messages
- Physical Breach – The loss of sensitive documents or computer files from an unsecured physical location, like an office
- Spoofing – When a criminal acts like another person, business or entity to gain sensitive information
Other methods
- Physical Security Walkthrough – This process audits your facilities from an outsider’s point of view, including password-protected areas and access control, video, security staff and more

7 Ways a Customer Service BPO Can Help Improve Brand Security

It only takes one unpleasant experience to tarnish even the best of corporate names, and conversely, an outstanding encounter with customer service can be remembered for years to come. But how do you ensure your customers are getting the five-star quality care they deserve without compromising on security? A cost-effective solution is by partnering with a customer service Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) provider. Here are 7 ways how partnering with a CX BPO can help you improve brand security.

Intellectual Property Protection by implementing measures such as watermarking, tracking software and regularly monitoring online channels for potential infringements.
Fraud Prevention by conducting regular audits of processes to identify areas of vulnerability and suggesting improvements. They can also monitor transactions for suspicious activity and take necessary actions when required.
Compliance Management by ensuring that businesses comply with various laws & regulations related to branding, advertising, labeling, packaging, and distribution through their expertise in legal & regulatory compliance.
Cybersecurity Measures by implementing cybersecurity measures like firewalls, encryption technologies & intrusion detection systems to safeguard sensitive information from cyber threats.
Customer Service Support by providing exceptional personalized customer support across multiple channels like phone, email or chat ensuring prompt resolution of customer queries while maintaining brand reputation.
Reputation Management by managing their online reputation by monitoring social media platforms & other online channels for any negative feedback about the brand or its products/services leading towards proactive management of brand image.
Data Analysis By analyzing data collected from various sources like surveys & feedback forms, customer service BPO providers can gain insights into consumer preferences & expectations enabling better decision-making processes resulting in improved service delivery while maintaining brand reputation.

Protecting your systems, software, teams, and physical locations is no easy feat, but it’s worth it to protect your customers’ trust. Loyalty to your brand is priceless, from existing customers and potential new ones. Take that privilege seriously and do everything you can to keep sensitive information protected for the long term.

For additional information or to speak to a Working Solutions expert on CX security, we invite you to leverage our decades of experience: Contact us to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our experts.