If you’re in PCI pain, here’s how you can get some relief.

By Reported Donna Loyle

- “Enlist the services of a qualified data-security company as soon as possible to help with the auditing and compliance process,” Rivard notes. Ask your acquirer for a list of PCI-program-approved, data-security vendors.

- Most importantly, don’t panic. Botelle advises, “Take a step back and look at your systems through the questionnaire’s eyes. Oftentimes merchants find they need to reinstitute a procedure they once had in place, for example, encrypt credit card data. Sometimes a merchant just needs to redefine a procedure.”