We are not talking about your appearance but rather the Self Assessment Security
Program required for independent restaurants
who process credit cards which includes just about everybody.
There is a requirement for most restaurants to utilize the Level 4 Merchant Compliance Program.
This relatively new program requires acquirers
to develop and submit a formal written compliance
plan to Visa, which "identifies, prioritizes and
manages overall risk within their Level 4 merchant
populations," according to the CISP Bulletin.
Many of the requirements go above and beyond making
sure that your POS system is installed with
validated and non-expired version of software.
There is a 12 step recommendation for
the program which includes maintaining a secure
network especially when wireless capabilities
are employed, best practices for password
security, and a whole host of other considerations.
The self assessment process is important to
understand and follow. As your POS provider,
our office is not allowed to perform the assessment
on your behalf. The good news is there are
companies who as qualified assessors can
provide self assessment and audit services to
help insure your restaurant is compliant. We also provide a number of "security" solutions which monitor POS systems on 24/7 basis to help prevent hacking and breaches.
Self assessments and precautions should be performed on a regular and scheduled basis. Breaches, fines, card holder security, public relations, are just a few of the real dangers of not paying close attention and following the guidelines properly.
Your restaurant needs to pay close attention
and can do so with the help of MICROS which
has dedicated an area of their web site
for PCI information:
Or course, our office will be glad to point you
in the direction. Remember credit card security is not just an event but an ongoing process.
Contact our Support Team for additional advice:
Two new surveys released in late May indicate that the end of the restaurant industry downturn may have finally arrived. The NRA's Restaurant Performance Index and the RBC Capital Restaurant Spending Survey both showed marked improvement.
