How Non-Profits Can Secure Donor Payments Without Losing the Human Touch
Discover how non-profits can securely process donor payments without losing the personal touch of live conversations. Learn how TRX Services helps protect sensitive data while strengthening donor trust.
When a donor calls to give, they're doing more than making a payment — they're connecting with a mission. For many non-profits and religious organizations, live agent conversations are one of the most effective ways to strengthen donor relationships. However, with that personal connection comes a challenge: how do you keep payments secure while remaining compliant with today’s stringent standards?
The Risk of Handling Payments Over the Phone
When credit card numbers are read aloud during a call, organizations assume a significant security burden. Even with the best training and controls, exposure exists — and for mission-driven organizations, the stakes are high:
PCI DSS Compliance: Non-profits that process card payments must adhere to the same Payment Card Industry standards as large corporations. Non-compliance can lead to costly fines and reputational damage.
Data Breach Risk: Sensitive donor information can be vulnerable in call center environments without advanced security tools in place.
Donor Trust: Trust is everything. Even one mishandled transaction can erode donor confidence and impact future giving. A survey from BBB's Give.org reiterates this fact. When survey respondents were asked to imagine that a charity they support appears in the news for being hacked and having data stolen, 22.5% say they would no longer donate, and another 51.7% say would hold off on donating until they are satisfied that the issue is resolved.
Some organizations have responded by limiting or discouraging phone donations. But for donors who prefer to speak with someone directly, removing that option can mean lost opportunities to give.
Why Traditional Approaches Fall Short
Relying solely on manual processes, call recording restrictions, or after-call data entry isn't enough to mitigate risk. These approaches can still leave gaps in compliance — and they place an added burden on staff. In many cases, agents must enter donor information into multiple systems, which increases the risk of errors and slows down the donation process. Worse yet, when donors are forced into automated systems without the option of speaking to a live person, many calls are abandoned altogether — resulting in missed opportunities for donations.
What non-profits need is a way to preserve the personal, human connection of a live phone call while protecting sensitive donor data.
The Solution: Key IVR’s Agent-Assisted Payments
That’s exactly where Key IVR’s Agent Assisted Payments, available through TRX Services, makes a difference. This solution enables call center staff to remain on the line with donors, guiding them through the donation process while ensuring that the donor's payment information is never disclosed or seen by the agent.
Here's how it works:
Donors enter their card details using their phone keypad or by speaking the card information into the system. The line is muted automatically while they verbally provide their card information to the system, and then it is unmuted, allowing them to continue speaking with a live agent.
The agent stays engaged, answering questions and providing reassurance, but has no access to the sensitive card data.
Payment information is routed securely and in full PCI DSS compliance.
The result? Donors get the human connection they value, while organizations maintain the highest standards of payment security.
Trusted by the World’s Leading Charities — and Accessible to All
Key IVR is trusted by some of the world’s largest charities. Its strength lies not only in security but also in flexibility:
Works with 99% of existing phone systems, so costly hardware changes aren’t required.
Can integrate with CRMs to prevent double posting or manual re-entry.
Scales to fit organizations of all sizes — from large international charities to smaller religious groups and local non-profits.
For example, a large religious organization we work with had a call center hampered by security concerns, but they wanted the personal touch of a live person to speak with the donors. By implementing Key IVR, they were able to continue providing donors with the ability to give over the phone while maintaining the personal touch of a live person, without compromising security or compliance.
Focusing on the Mission, Not the Risk
Non-profits exist to serve their communities and drive meaningful change — not to manage payment security risks. By using secure, agent-assisted solutions like Key IVR, organizations can free up staff, protect donor trust, and focus on what matters most: their mission.
At TRX Services, we're proud to partner with non-profits and religious organizations of all sizes, helping them strengthen donor relationships with confidence and security at the core.
To explore how secure, agent-assisted payments can strengthen donor trust and increase donations for your non-profit clients, connect with TRX Services — we'd be glad to help.
