Part III a: Online Credit Card Authorization
If you purchased the Credit Card module at the time of your purchase, you will already be enabled for the option. If you purchase it at a later date, you will receive information and files to allow the program to create a new Credit Card Box.
OVERVIEW
You must already have your own Merchant Credit Card account, as well as a modem installed in your machine. The VoiceStamps.com Service Bureau program works in conjunction with the Icverify program to give your callers immediate on line credit card charging capability. You will need to contact Icverify directly to set up your authorization account with your bank. See the information provided by Icverify in your package for further specific setup information.
When a credit card charge is requested, the voice program puts a request file in the \stplus\Icverify request directory. The Icverify program then reads this file and processes the request; meaning that Icverify tells the modem to dial your credit card verification center, transmit the information (credit card number, amount, etc.) and wait for an approval or a declination. Once Icverify is finished, it creates a response file in the same directory. The voice program has been looking for this response file, and when it appears, reads it and responds to the caller accordingly. The path setting in the \winnt\stplus.ini and the path directive for the Icverify program MUST point to the same directory.
The response file is in the form icver00x.ans where x = 1-8. The 1-8 stands for the number of the request. The requests are numbered as they come in. A maximum of 8 is allowed with the basic package. That means that you could have up to 8 callers all on different lines requesting on-line credit card authorizations at once. They are queued by the Icverify program.
You can test out the scenario without even loading the Icverify program. Set up a Credit Card Box and create a path to it in an Access Box. Call in and enter your credit card number and other appropriate information. The voice program will create a file called icver001.req. Copy a file called icver001.ans into the request directory.
To create the icver001.ans file, use any DOS file editor, such as Notepad. Enter the following line and press enter:
"Y12345678"
The file must be saved as a plain ASCII text file.
The Y stands for yes (approval) and N for no (declination). The results are logged in the log.txt file. If no response file is found by the voice program, it will time out after 5 minutes. The program will repeat the HOLD PROMPT until 5 minutes has passed.
You can also see how it will work on a declination by creating a file called icver001.ans with the following info:
"N12345678"
There are a maximum of 8 requests possible at one time. If you create icver001.req, icver002.req etc. through icver008.req in the \stplus\Icverify directory, and call in, you will hear 'your request cannot be processed at this time'.
You will need to contact Icverify directly to get authorization code(s) to operate your software. They will also give you instructions to run the Icverify as a multi-user program (that is required) as well as where to indicate where their program should look for .req files and where to put the resulting .ans files. This path information must match the path information in the \winnt\stplus.ini file.
THE CREDIT CARD BOX:
The new box is created as box 90 and is listed under Data Capture.
Sample call flow once in credit card box:
greeting - record a simple greeting to tell the caller they have entered the credit card module. Give them an overview of what will be happening. This will vary depending upon the choices you have made.
questions - you may set up as many questions as you would like . Your credit card company may require certain information - such as phone number and/or zip code for example:
Quest #1 - 'enter your phone number'
Quest #2 - 'enter your birthdate'
If 'upgrade mailbox' has been checked, the system will ask the caller to enter their mailbox number. (This means that a caller can automatically upgrade or re-instate their mailbox privilege by paying via credit card.)
Certain information will automatically be asked of the caller:
'Please enter your credit card number' -system uses an algorithm to see if possible to be a credit number-(min 13-max 16,). This is to save time and eliminate someone entering 2222222222.
'Please enter the month it expires'
'Please enter the year it expires'
'Please enter your street address number'
'Please enter your zip code'
The system will then repeat all of the above customer responses and ask for confirmation in order to continue.
Charge Prompt - Here you will record the choices the caller will have. For example, "To be receive Privilege 1 at a charge of $10 press 1, to receive Privilege 2 at a charge of $20.00 press 2 etc.'
These items are setup under Charge Menu.
After all the questions are answered, the system creates the icver001.req file and plays the Hold Prompt to the caller while Icverify calls your bank. You should be able to hear your modem dialing the authorization center. If the Hold Prompt has not been recorded, the system will play the \stplus\music.voi file. That file can be located under Maintain, Prompts.
The voice system is always checking for the presence of icver001.ans. If approved, the program plays the exit prompt, then goes to the box you enter in the 'upon approval' field. If declined, the sytem will send the caller to the box you enter in the 'upon decline' field. If too long of a time period goes by, (5 minutes with no corresponding .ans file being created by Icverify) or if the caller chooses 'cancel', the system goes to the box you enter in the 'upon cancel' field. The prompt to allow to cancel will be heard when the program confirms the caller's digit entry in response to the charge prompt.
IF BY ANY CHANCE THE CALLER HANGS UP AFTER THE REQUEST IS SENT, THEIR CREDIT CARD WILL STILL BE CHARGED IF APPROVED. BE SURE TO INFORM YOUR CALLERS. WE HAVE NO WAY TO STOP THE CHARGING PROCESS AFTER THE .REQ FILE HAS BEEN CREATED.
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IN ORDER TO HAVE THE CALL INFORMATION GO TO A FILE, YOU MUST BE SURE THE 'SAVE QUERIES TO FILE' IS CHECKED. SPECIFIC INFORMATION IS NOT GOING TO THE CURRENT.DBF (SEE CHAPTER 24) AT THIS TIME. ALL INFO GOES TO LOG.TXT FILE IN THE CREDIT CARD SUBDIRECTORY. ***************************************************************************
You do not NEED to ask any additional QUESTIONS.... however, we would recommend that you get at least some additional information, such as their phone number, in case you need to contact them.
You can adjust the total digits allowed to enter a credit card number in the 'maximum digits' field. The 'maximum wait' tells the system how long to wait IN BETWEEN digits before assuming the caller is finished.
IMPORTANT :
AFTER THE CALLER HAS ENTERED ALL THEIR INFORMATION, THEY GO ON HOLD WHILE WE WAIT FOR Icverify. IF THE CALLER HANGS UP, THE CHARGING PROCESS WILL CONTINUE. ONCE THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO Icverify, WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER IT. WE RECOMMEND YOU TELL YOUR CALLERS THIS IN THE CREDIT CARD GREETING AND AGAIN IN THE LAST PROMPT BEFORE THEY GO ON HOLD. IF THEY HANG UP DURING THE HOLD, BEFORE THEY HEAR APPROVAL OR DECLINATION, THE CHARGE COULD POSSIBLY GO THROUGH, BUT WE WILL NOT KNOW ABOUT IT, AS THE CALL HAS ENDED.