Today In Data: Call Center Risks, Vertical Farming And AR Payments

Today in PYMNTS data, call centers are putting customers at risk by having them read their sensitive information aloud, vertical farming systems could revolutionize urban produce output and consumers are dissatisfied with apparel and accessory retailers’ omnichannel offerings. Also, companies are increasing primary cash management relationships, and accounts receivable (AR) departments are still seeing commercial credit and debit card payments.

Here are the numbers:

70 percent | Portion of call centers that require customers to read their information out loud to a call center agent — a litany of data that includes sensitive streams of numbers like birthdates, Social Security numbers and more.

40 | Number of times the output per square foot of Smallhold’s vertical farming systems — an urban farming concept that reduces the environmental impact of growing produce and uses 96 percent less water — is multiplied compared to the average farming setup. According to Smallhold, the system allows produce to be grown almost anywhere, including in dining rooms, basements and even at grocery stores.

37.9 | Average satisfaction score for apparel and accessories retailers on a scale of zero to 100, according to the PYMNTS Omni Usage Index. The Index found that consumers are unhappy with clothing companies’ capabilities, but some are looking to buck the trend. This includes Frank And Oak, a Canadian clothing company that has woven omnichannel into its offerings since its founding in February 2012.

20 percent | Portion of surveyed professionals who said they had increased the number of primary cash management banks with which they’re working as of last year. Only 13 percent said they decreased the number of cash management solution providers with which they were working.

11 percent | Percentage of commercial credit and debit card payments that come into AR, according to a National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA) survey. Respondents told NACHA they expect cards to hold 12.5 percent of payment volume by 2020. The survey also found that ACH payments currently account for 32 percent of payments received by AR, and ACH payments are expected to account for up to 45 percent of payments received by 2020.