Heard of "PCI compliance" but not sure what it means for your business? You're not alone.
This article covers the main points of PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard – a bit of a mouthful, we know!). We'll explain why this standard is a big deal if you take card payments, and how Helcim makes it easier for you to stay compliant with it.
In this article
What is PCI DSS compliance?
Think of PCI DSS as a set of safety rules for any business that accepts, processes, handles, or stores credit card information. The main idea is to make sure customer card details are kept in a safe place, cutting down the chances of them being stolen or misused.
How do businesses check if they are PCI compliant?
So, how does a business actually check if it's following these PCI safety rules? For most businesses, especially small to medium-sized ones, the main way is to complete a Self-Assessment Questionnaire, or SAQ for short.
| An SAQ is a list of questions that helps you look closely at how your business handles customer card information and your security practices. By answering these questions, you can see if you're meeting the PCI DSS rules. |
What kinds of questions are asked?
The questions asked in the SAQ depend on your business.
| Because businesses take payments in different ways, a single, one-size-fits-all security checklist doesn’t work. That’s why there are different types of SAQs. |
Each type is tailored to how a business handles card payments. For example, the questions for a small bakery using a basic countertop card reader will be different from those for a large online retailer with a complex website.
Helcim helps by automatically determining which SAQ type is right for your business, based on the products and services you use for payments.
Why should your business care about being PCI compliant?
Being PCI compliant isn't just about following rules; it’s about protecting your customers and your business.
Reason 1: Keep your customers safe
PCI standards help prevent credit card information from falling into the wrong hands, being stolen, or used for fraud.
Reason 2: Keep your business safe
Avoiding big fines: If your business isn't following the rules, you could face large fines from credit card brands (like Visa or Mastercard) or the bank that helps you process payments. Sometimes, it can even mean legal trouble.
Making sure you can still take card payments: If you're not compliant, you might not be able to keep taking card payments through Helcim or another provider. Credit card companies might even investigate your business. If things are really serious, they could stop you from accepting their cards, you could lose your merchant account, and you might have to pay additional fines or penalties.
Building trust: When customers see you're taking security seriously, they’ll trust you more with their business.
Reason 3: It's your part to play
PCI compliance is a self-assessment of how your own business handles card information. The SAQ checklist keeps you accountable to doing what’s needed to keep things secure.
Do all businesses follow the same PCI rules?
Not exactly. While all businesses handling card payments need to follow PCI rules, the specific requirements can be a bit different based on factors like how many card payments your business processes each year. For example, very large corporations might have more complex steps to take than smaller businesses.
Helcim’s online PCI tools are designed to make it easy for most businesses (specifically those that fall into what PCI calls Merchant Levels 2, 3, and 4) to review their security by filling out a straightforward questionnaire themselves.
| If your business processes an extremely high volume of transactions (Level 1, typically over 6 million per year), you’d have different, more involved requirements, like an audit by a qualified assessor. |
How Helcim makes PCI compliance easier for you
Figuring out security checklists and compliance rules can feel like a headache. That’s why we’ve designed our services to make PCI compliance as straightforward as possible for you.
Here’s how.
Getting you the right questions
Finding out which specific SAQ type applies to your business can be tricky. Helcim takes care of this for you.
Our system automatically looks at the specific Helcim payment tools you use (like our Online Checkout, the Helcim Payments App, or Virtual Terminal).
Based on these tools, we determine the correct SAQ type (or types) for your business and provide you with the right set of questions.
If you use several Helcim tools that fall under different SAQ requirements, we’ll give you one combined questionnaire. This means you don’t have to fill out multiple separate forms, which saves you time and effort.
Easy-to-use checklist in your account
For most of the SAQ types that our merchants need, you can complete your questionnaire directly within your Helcim account.
Plain language and support
We try to explain what you need to do in simple terms, avoiding confusing jargon as much as possible.
Part of our service, no extra charge
We provide these PCI compliance tools and support because we genuinely want to help your business operate safely and securely. Unlike some processors that might charge extra fees for PCI assistance, we include this as part of our commitment to you.
Conclusions
Here’s a point-form review of what we learned in this article.
PCI DSS compliance is a set of important safety rules from the major card brands, designed to protect customer card information.
Businesses typically check their compliance using a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ), which is a security checklist. Different SAQs exist for different ways of processing payments.
Helcim makes the PCI compliance process easier by determining the correct SAQ for your business, providing an integrated questionnaire, and offering this support as part of our service.
Next steps
Now that you have a clearer picture of PCI compliance, what an SAQ involves, and how Helcim supports you, the next step is to learn how to complete your questionnaire.
| Ready to get it done? Check out our guide: How to complete your PCI Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) in your Helcim account. |
FAQs
Seriously, why do I have to do this?
It’s all about protecting your customers' card details. When their info is safe, your business is safer too – from things like data theft, big fines, and even losing the ability to take card payments. Think of it as a basic part of running a trustworthy business today.
Who actually benefits from PCI compliance?
Pretty much everyone! Your customers feel better knowing their information is more secure. Your business is better off because you lower your risks, build trust, and dodge any potential penalties. Plus, it helps make the whole system of paying with cards safer for everybody.
Is this just something Helcim makes me do?
Nope! PCI DSS is a set of rules for the entire payment card industry, created by the big card companies (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB). Any business that takes card payments is supposed to follow these rules, no matter who they use for payment processing. Helcim just gives you tools and help to meet these industry rules.
Can I avoid doing the SAQ by paying a fee?
That's a common question! The answer is no – you can't pay a fee to avoid completing your PCI Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ). The SAQ is your vital checklist for ensuring your business is protecting customer card data. While some payment processors might charge "non-compliance fees," these are typically penalties for not meeting your PCI obligations, not a pass to skip the requirements themselves.
The fundamental need to be secure and validate your compliance (usually with an SAQ) still applies, as this is crucial for protecting your business from serious risks like data breaches, card brand fines, and issues with your ability to accept payments.
You mentioned Helcim combines questions if I use multiple tools. How does that work?
That's right! If you use, say, our Virtual Terminal for phone orders and also our Online Checkout for website sales, these might fall under slightly different SAQ requirements. Instead of making you fill out two separate long checklists, Helcim’s system is smart enough to identify all the ways you use our tools and will give you one combined set of questions that covers all the necessary points.
After completing the questionnaire, you’ll be provided with separate PDF reports for each SAQ type you qualify for.