Barclaycard is one of the world’s largest payment businesses, providing credit cards for consumers and corporate clients and enabling retailers to take card payments. With an unrivalled reputation as leaders in innovation, Barclaycard is the number one credit card provider in the UK, and is expanding rapidly as a global cards and lending business.
Neira Jones, Head of Payment Security, Barclaycard Global Payment Acceptance, spoke to The Grocery Trader.
The Grocery Trader – What does your job involve day to day? Has your role changed since last year?
As Head of Payment Security I have responsibility for ensuring that the transactions processed by Barclaycard’s 100,000 business customers worldwide are safe, secure and comply with industry standards and, increasingly, that they understand the importance of information security, which has been a key focus in 2011.
GT – ‘2011: how was it for you?!’
Busy! We’ve been leading the way in payment security awareness through our numerous educational events, seminars and workshops, and driving our highly successful merchant PCI compliance programme.
GT – What is your particular proposition for customers in the multiple grocery sector? Has that changed since last year?
There’s been no change in this since last year from our perspective, which is to make sure that payment security in general, and compliance with the payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) in particular, is engrained in the fabric of organisations from top to bottom, and treated as Business as Usual.
GT – How has the payment acceptance sector been performing in 2011? What do you see as the most important recent developments in the sector?
From our perspective, the major development is that card payments continue to grow, with significant contributions coming from innovations like contactless payment technology.
GT – Have you moved into any new business areas during 2011?
We are continuing our expansion into the US and Europe, and opening new markets.
GT – Has your company grown in the last 12 months?
Barclaycard continues to grow, and is a leading global cards and lending business.
GT – What have you been doing to upgrade your business and customer service proposition in 2011?
The Barclaycard Risk Reduction Programme is a key innovation we’ve launched this year, which we’ve created to help our larger merchants align their compliance and governance programmes in a cost effective way, and reduce their prioritised risk.
GT – How are your core products doing?
Barclaycard’s customer numbers are at an all time high, with contactless payments going great guns.
GT – Have you launched any new products or services in 2011? What are they, and how are they performing?
I’m particularly proud of the Barclaycard Risk Reduction Programme, which provides our merchants with a pragmatic, cost effective and wholistic approach to the management of their compliance requirements whilst tackling their prioritised risk.
GT – What’s been your company’s single biggest achievement in business this year?
Our single biggest achievement has been seeing contactless payments really take off.
GT – What was your personal favourite business moment in 2011?
Difficult! Winning a place in the Infosecurity Europe Hall of Fame, and being voted on to the Board of PCI Security Standards Council were both great moments!!
GT – If your company had to go through 2011 again, what would you do differently?
Extend the run of the highly successful Rollercoaster campaign – I loved it!
GT – Have you won any awards in 2011, or been accredited to any new industry standards during this time?
My team won SC Magazine’s Information Security Team of the Year award in 2011, and I won a position in the Infosecurity Europe Hall of Fame 2011 and was voted onto the Board of the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC).
GT – In which parts of a retail operation do retailers use your products/services? ie brick and mortar shops, on line etc?
Retailers use Barclaycard servuces in all payment acceptance channels, including face to face, online, telephone, and mail order, as well as multi currency payment services and pre-paid cards.
GT – Do you sell your products direct or through channel partners? Has that strategy changed in the last year?
We have begun to forge an increasing number of partnerships with technology suppliers who can offer effective solutions to help our merchants reduce the risk of fraud.
GT – Can you name any of your major retail projects in the last 12 months, and talk about what you have done in each of these?
They’ve focused on contactless payments and the associated security and risk aspects to make this viable.
GT – How does your forward order book compare with a year ago? How does demand for your services compare with a year ago?
We continue to grow, and from a payment security perspective we’ve never been busier!
GT – Which trade shows or conferences did you take part in during 2011? How were they?
We took an active part in numerous events during 2011, including Interpol, Vendorcom, PCI London and the PCI SSC European Community event.
GT – The Christmas period is traditionally the busiest time of year for the UK retail industry. What do you see as the biggest challenges?
We’re very much hoping for good weather so consumers are out in force and keep our merchants’ tills ringing!
GT – As a company, what are your New Year’s resolutions for 2012?
To keep listening to our customers, and providing effective solutions that make all aspects of their payment needs easier.
GT – What are your plans for 2012?
To continue our efforts in moving payment security towards a risk reduction stance.
GT – Where do you see your company in three years’ time?
Leading the market and being at the forefront of innovations that make payments easier for everybody.
GT – And finally, what would you like Father Christmas to bring your company in 2012?!
A happy, healthy and prosperous New Year for all our customers.
Barclaycard
Tel: O844 8116666
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