Customer Service
How to Build Security into the Customer Experience
The pandemic has forced buyers to shift from brick-and-mortar stores to online shopping. To cater to the needs of buyers, the number of e-commerce stores has increased. While online shopping offers a great customer experience, it makes customer transactions vulnerable to cyberattacks.
The increase in the instances of different types of cyberattacks is alarming. Data reveals that cybercrimes that include theft, embezzlement, data hacking, or destruction have increased by 600% since the pandemic started. Therefore, brands need to ensure that they secure their online interactions to prevent cyberattacks. Cybersecurity is a prime area of focus for an e-commerce business to provide a safe and secure shopping experience.
However, time-consuming security controls hamper customer experience because customers are looking for quick and simple transactions. The irony is that a cyberattack in a customer transaction can cause more damage than a time-consuming experience. The challenge for brands is that they need to strike a balance between secure interactions and convenience because customers expect convenient, fast, and secure transactions.
Techniques to Build Security in Customer Experience
1. Holistic Cybersecurity Solutions
Cybersecurity is not a stand-alone function that can be implemented to secure specific aspects of a business. On the contrary, a security system must be developed across different functions. Hence, businesses must introduce a collaboration between cybersecurity and other functions like IT, customer service, marketing, finance, and more. A holistic cybersecurity system that protects all elements of the business is the need of the hour!
2. Secure Vulnerability Points
Businesses need to identify the areas in their system that are vulnerable to cyberattacks and security attacks. Automation bots can be used for scanning the system and identifying the weak points. These points can be secured with techniques such as re-authentication, mobile device management, timeout, logout functions, and more.
3. Create Hacker’s Journey Maps
One of the most difficult aspects of integrating cybersecurity is keeping pace with cybercriminals. As cybersecurity techniques improve, cyber-attackers find innovative methods of circumventing them to attack systems, devices, networks, etc. Hence, it is recommended that cybersecurity professionals develop a hacker journey map. The journey map helps assess attack vectors such as phishing, malware, etc. Once they are identified the security measures to prevent such attacks can be integrated.
4. Align Cybersecurity with Buyer Persona
While developing a marketing strategy, marketers build a buyer persona that interacts with their brand. In-depth research, mapping, A/B testing, analytics, etc., are leveraged to create a buyer persona. A buyer persona helps businesses understand the preferences of the buyers, various touchpoints, etc.
The buyer persona developed can be used to identify the touchpoints that need to be secured. The cybersecurity measures can be tailored to the specific buyer personas.
5. Integrate Cybersecurity with Different Phases of the Customer Journey
A typical customer journey goes through the following phases:
- Awareness
- Consideration
- Decision
- Service and Retention
During each of these phases, customers have specific interactions. The interactions vary according to the buyer persona because each persona has a specific set of needs, pain points, etc. Interactions at different phases require customized security, privacy, data, and device governance based on buyer persona and buyer journey. Cybersecurity professionals need to identify the specific areas that need to be secured based on buyer persona and their phase in the buyer journey. Some functions that need to be addressed include securing login credentials, account security, device registration, password reset and recall, and more.
6. Build Custom CIAM Controls
CIAM functions such as identity proofing, anti-fraud verification, multi-factor authentication, etc., can be applied to high-risk areas in the buyer’s journey.
Custom security measures can be developed for different attack vectors. For instance, stricter password policies, two-factor authentication, etc. can be applied to protect against instances of compromised credentials.
Developing cybersecurity systems is an ongoing process. Cybersecurity professionals need to keep updating their security and customer experience strategies based on the changing customer demands, digital channels used, and changes in attack vectors.
Final Takeaway
As buyers shift from offline to online platforms for shopping, brands need to focus on providing a safe and secure experience that delights their customers. Effective cybersecurity measures begin with securing the existing system and then building strategies that align with the buyer persona and journey.
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