Your say
Best letter of the month
To The Editor of all international card schemes from the IT team’s shoulders. 70%
I’m writing regarding your recent and is expected to become of those surveyed by Postilion
feature on PCI and how the new mandatory in due course. welcomed the introduction of PA
PA DSS standards will have an PA DSS covers the technology DSS and saw it as a positive
impact. parts of PCI DSS that pertain to initiative.
For any organisation that application performance and The application provider benefits
handles card payments, security – for example, not storing from the competitive advantage of
understanding the requirements of CVV2 data at any point, or sending validated security while it also
the Payment Card Industry Data unencrypted card holder drives users to upgrade PA DSS
Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a information. However, validation compliant versions. PA DSS raises
business necessity but traditionally requires clear definition of how the bar for providers of payment
both network complexity and the the application should be applications and helps
level of investment have been implemented and used in order to differentiate the ones that are
sticking points – retailers have guarantee high security. investing for the future. For any
found it difficult identify and This move should help retailers retailer that is looking at a new
justify the route to ROI. and banks achieve compliance payment application, PA DSS
PA DSS covers all commercially faster, as responsibility will fall validation will be a pre-requisite of
developed payment applications upon their application provider any solution they choose.
and is based upon Visa’s Payment rather than themselves. While
Application Best Practise (PABP) investment will be required to
standard. However, while PABP prove adherence, using a PA DSS- Mark McMurtrie
was a voluntary Visa exclusive validated application is designed Marketing Director
initiative, PA DSS has the support to alleviate significant burden Postilion International
Polls Apart the comments I received back question the validity of the
I read with interest the BRC’s from my colleagues: "Staff research as it sends the wrong
Retail Crime Survey published last dishonesty is not showing any message to legislators and policy
week. Yes, overall there has been decline against previous years and makers who, according to this
a general decline in reported I can confirm a small reduction survey, would think there is no
crime, but when it came to the (0.25%) in customer theft. I real cause for concern.
headline findings of shoplifting therefore dispute the BRC’s Yes, the survey did highlight
down 26 per cent and a drop of figures" e-crime as a big problem still, but
56 per cent in internal or Another wrote: "As always the overall, as heads of loss
employee fraud, I have to say that shoplifting stats have suffered a prevention, it makes our jobs
I could not believe what I was great deal of under reporting even harder when the body that
reading. both to the police and internal is supposed to represent the
I had an instinctive feeling that company departments. Also as the interests of the retailers to
the BRC poll figures were at odds perceived threat of violence Government is saying to
with the experiences of my fellow increases in store there is an Ministers: "Don’t worry
members of the Retail Loss increased reluctance on the part Government, we’ve cracked our
Prevention Fashion Forum and so of sales staff to intervene and business crime issues"
contacted them to see if they detain or report shoplifting. In In short, it’s not simply a
concurred with the BRC’s response to the so-called 56% problem of economic downturn,
experience or not. reduction in internal theft - this is as the headline suggests, it
The Fashion Forum, of which I frankly wrong. I would say that remains a perennial problem
am vice chairman, comprises the the number of incidents and the whatever the financial climate. So
majority of heads of loss values involved are increasing please BRC, check your figures
prevention for the main fashion year on year" before making such public
stores represented on the High Another High Street name declarations on our behalf as we
Street. We meet regularly to added: "Shoplifting was at a at the Fashion Forum would
discuss loss prevention and share similar level to previous years, but clearly send a different message
best practice in terms of overall internal investigations are up to Government and intend to as
T
T
E
R
S
shrink reduction strategies about 20% on last year" we become a stronger lobbying
because thieves, whether they are Finally: "Reported known thefts organisation in the future.
opportunistic customers, are up and are at total odds with
organised gangs or disgruntled the BRC figures"
L
E
employees, are the common I could include more, but space Mitch Haynes
threat, and, in the latter category, prevents me. Indeed, the list goes Vice-Chairman of the Retail Loss
the ‘enemy within.’ on with not one of my Prevention Fashion Forum
Without going into specific respondents agreeing with the Group Head of Security
store figures, here are some of BRC findings. This leads me to Mosaic Fashions
ISSUE 3 DECEMBER 2008 • 35
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44