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South Africa’s Electronic Communications and Transactions Act imposes “stringent record-keeping compliance requirements on organizations,” according to industry journal BizCommunity.com, requiring them to keep accurate records of all telephonic and other electronic interactions with consumers for at least three years.

Protecting the rights of consumers is part of the recent legislation, but as the journal says, “simply implementing a call recording system will not provide the optimum compliance with the increased legal requirements either.”

Last fall TMC (News - Alert) had the news that Datatec acquired niche software security company Biodata IT SA, which was part of the group's strategy to grow its South African networking, convergence and security distribution business.

"The acquisition comes at a time when we are seeing growing demand among our customers for products that will enable them to meet, reach and exceed their security needs with particular reference to the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act," said Jacques Malherbe, the CEO of Westcon SA.

Matthew Balcomb, director of Majuda Software Southern Africa, an affiliate organization to Majuda Corporation International, which deals in call recording and quality management, said to fulfil the requirements as set out by the laws, “companies will need to do more than simply implement mere policies and procedures. A governance, risk and compliance strategy tightly integrated into the operations and the culture of an organization, is required."

And since much interaction with consumers takes place though call centers, recording telephone interactions with customers or potential customers is necessary for mitigating risk and liability exposure.

One option would be a product that embraces encrypted voice logging as well as enabling technologies and systems, such as content management and workforce optimization. Together, Balcomb said, these let organizations record conversations with customers, store the data, access it and reduce it to written and printable formats.

"Technology has produced advanced voice recording systems with a level of functionality and user friendliness that ensures compliance and liability risk faced by organizations is significantly reduced," Balcomb said. "In addition, such systems allow managers to improve the quality, performance and effectiveness of their contact centers and call center agents.”