Agent Assisted Payments

Secure agent assisted payment processing

Enable your call centre agents to securely collect customer payments over the phone without handling sensitive card data. Paytia's agent-assisted payment solution combines PCI DSS Level 1 compliance with DTMF masking technology to protect both your customers and your business from payment fraud.

  • 30-40% higher conversion than automated IVR
  • Personal touch for elderly and less tech-savvy customers
  • Zero agent access to card data
  • Reduce PCI compliance costs by 70-90%
  • Works with your existing phone system
  • Deploy in days, not months

Key benefits

Higher conversion rates

30% to 40% higher payment completion versus fully automated IVR. Human assistance reduces customer frustration.

Enhanced customer experience

Personal touch of human assistance, especially important for elderly or less tech-savvy customers. Immediate answers to payment questions.

Reduced security risk

Zero agent access to card data. Eliminates insider fraud risk and protects against social engineering attacks.

Lower PCI compliance costs

Reduce PCI scope by 80-90%. Lower annual compliance costs and fewer security controls required in call centre.

Better fraud prevention

Real-time fraud detection, 3D Secure authentication support, AVS checks, and customisable fraud rules.

70-90%

PCI cost reduction

Level 1

PCI DSS certified

40%

Higher conversion vs IVR

99.99%

Platform uptime

How agent-assisted payments work

Three simple steps to secure payment processing with zero agent access to card data

1

Customer calls agent

Customer calls your business and speaks with an agent who verifies their account and order details.

2

DTMF masking activated

When it is time to pay, the customer enters their card details using their phone keypad while the agent stays on the line. DTMF masking prevents the agent from hearing or seeing the card information.

3

Payment processed securely

Payment data flows directly to the secure payment gateway, bypassing your call centre systems entirely. Agent receives payment confirmation without ever accessing card details.

What are agent assisted payments?

Agent-assisted payments enable call centre agents to help customers complete transactions over the phone while maintaining security and PCI compliance. Unlike fully automated IVR payments, agent-assisted payments allow the agent to remain on the call, providing personal assistance and support throughout the payment process.

In a typical agent-assisted payment scenario, the customer calls your business, speaks with an agent who verifies their account and order details, then when it is time to take payment, the customer enters their card details using their phone keypad while the agent stays on the line. The agent never hears or sees the card information thanks to DTMF masking technology.

This approach is ideal for industries like insurance, healthcare, utilities, and collections where complex transactions require human assistance, but security and compliance are paramount. Agent-assisted payments combine the personal touch of human customer service with the security of automated payment processing.

Key benefits

Maintain personal customer service while ensuring security
Higher payment completion rates (30-40% improvement)
Ideal for complex transactions requiring human assistance
Full PCI compliance without exposing agents to card data

PCI compliance for agent-assisted payments

Traditional agent-assisted payments create PCI scope issues. When agents hear or see card data, your entire call centre falls under strict PCI requirements. This means high costs (£50k-£500k annually), extensive security controls, and security risks from agent access to payment data.

Paytia's solution

PCI DSS Level 1 Certified

  • De-scoping your environment: Removes agents from PCI scope using channel separation technology
  • PCI DSS Level 1 certified solution for maximum compliance
  • No card data enters your environment — payment data flows directly to secure gateways
  • Reduces PCI compliance costs by 70% to 90%
  • Annual PCI audit requirements minimised

Industries that benefit from agent-assisted payments

Secure payment solutions designed for industries requiring human assistance and compliance

Insurance

  • Policy premium payments
  • Claims settlements
  • Renewal payments
  • High-value transactions requiring verification

Healthcare and Medical Billing

  • Patient payment collection
  • Outstanding balance resolution
  • Payment plan setup
  • HIPAA-compliant payment processing

Utilities and Telecom

  • Overdue account payments
  • Service activation fees
  • Large balance settlements
  • Disconnection prevention payments

Collections Agencies

  • Debt settlement payments
  • Payment arrangement setup
  • PCI-compliant collections
  • Reduced agent compliance training

Financial Services

  • Loan payments
  • Credit card payments
  • Account funding
  • Large transaction verification

E-commerce and Retail

  • Order-by-phone payments
  • High-value purchase assistance
  • B2B invoice payments
  • Customer service payment resolution

Frequently asked questions

How does agent-assisted payment differ from IVR payments?

Agent-assisted payments involve an agent guiding the customer while the customer enters card details via phone keypad, with DTMF masking technology preventing the agent from hearing or seeing the card information. IVR payments are fully automated without human interaction.

Does this solution work with our existing phone system?

Yes, Paytia integrates with major telephony platforms including 3CX, Aircall, RingCentral, Zoom Phone, and traditional PBX systems.

How long does implementation take?

Most customers are fully operational within 2-4 weeks, including system configuration, integration with your telephony and CRM systems, and agent training.

What happens if a payment fails?

The agent receives instant notification of the failure reason (e.g. declined card, insufficient funds) and can assist with an alternative payment method, without ever seeing the card details.

Is this solution PCI compliant?

Yes, Paytia is a PCI DSS Level 1 certified Service Provider, designed to remove call centre agents from PCI scope, reducing your compliance burden by 70-90%.

Can we use this for recurring payments?

Yes, Paytia supports both one-time and recurring payment setup through agent-assisted flows, allowing agents to set up autopay without accessing payment credentials.

What payment methods are supported?

Paytia supports credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover), debit cards, ACH/direct debit, and other alternative payment methods depending on your chosen payment gateway.

How do you prevent fraud?

Paytia provides multiple layers of fraud prevention including 3D Secure authentication, AVS checks, CVV verification, velocity limits, and real-time fraud scoring through gateway partners.

Proven results

Real metrics from businesses using agent-assisted payment solutions

70-90%

PCI cost reduction

30-40%

Higher conversion

2-4 weeks

Implementation time

99.9%

Uptime

The PCI challenge

Traditional agent-assisted payments create PCI scope issues. When agents hear or see card data, your entire call centre falls under strict PCI requirements. This means high costs (£50k-£500k annually), extensive security controls, and security risks from agent access to payment data.

Paytia's solution

PCI DSS Level 1 Certified

  • De-scoping your environment: Removes agents from PCI scope using channel separation technology
  • PCI DSS Level 1 certified solution for maximum compliance
  • No card data enters your environment — payment data flows directly to secure gateways
  • Reduces PCI compliance costs by 70% to 90%
  • Annual PCI audit requirements minimised

Technical features

Enterprise integration capabilities

Telephony systems

  • 3CX
  • Aircall
  • RingCentral
  • Zoom Phone

Payment gateways

  • Stripe
  • Adyen
  • Worldpay
  • Braintree

CRM systems

  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Zendesk
  • Microsoft Dynamics

Developer tools

  • REST API for custom integrations
  • Webhooks for real-time notifications
  • SDKs available (Python, PHP, Node.js)
  • Compliance-safe call recording (no card data captured)

Ready to secure your agent-assisted payments?

See how Paytia keeps agents on the line while keeping card data completely hidden.

PCI DSS Level 1
Cyber Essentials Plus

Trusted by banks, law firms, and regulated businesses worldwide