BY PIERRE KOUDELKA AND FABIEN PESENTI


Credit Cards and Reven E


QUIPMENT SUPPLIERS ARE ASKED FOR credit card systems to be part of the over- all parking system. However, they often think only in terms of front-end equip-


ment and don’t necessarily know what all has to hap- pen in the background before such systems can be put in place and activated.


When you insert your credit card in a reader,multiple enti-


ties across the country come into playwithin seconds, a truemira- cle of technology. Complicating things even more are the ever- changing PCI DSS requirements (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard). Ultimately, compliance is about how credit card information is used, formatted, stored and transmitted. Parking operators can expose themselves to substantial fines


if they do not comply with these security requirements. These standards apply to not only the front-endequipment that you see as you enter the garage, but also to themanner inwhich theman- agement firm operates their parking operation and how they maintain their books andmanage such information in the office. In particular, how they store and handle credit card informa- tion in their back officemust conformwith PCI standards, other-


wise they can be subject to severe financial penalties. I can’t impress upon you the difficulties and expense various operations have already experienced in our industry in this regard. Fortunately, all this can be made easier if you start off by


choosing a PCI-compliant parking and revenue control system that allows you to selectively interfacewith any of the hundreds of clearinghouses (also calledmerchant service providers). To put all your eggs in just a single clearing house solution


may not alwaysbe to yourbenefit.With aGateway Provider you’ll have access to any clearing house in the country so your bargain- ing position is augmented. Plus you’ll enhance your ability to cus- tomize a solution to meet your needs. Such firms can assist in meeting your technical, financial or informational criteria associat- edwith credit card processing. Clearing Houses and Gateway Providers work together for


you alongwith Interchange systems, Issuers, Bankswithin the over- all credit card process. All play an important role not only relative to rates they charged for the service, but equipment needed on premises, transaction speeds, back ups, customizability, reports and theway the information is formulated. For example, froma reporting stand point, daily andmonthly


summary reports, revenue summary by cashier or groups of cashier booths, individual transactions details, or functionalities


36


JANUARY 2009 • PARKING TODAY • www.parkingtoday.com


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