Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged:

Diamond Adds Security For When Comic Shops Phone It In

Published Fri, 06 Dec 2019 11:00:03 -0600

It may be ironic since Diamond Comic Distributors dropped a massive leak of retailers' details and order numbers the other week by e-mail. But Diamond has announced to retailers that they are increasing security matters on phonecalls. Specifically that Diamond is taking additional steps to ensure the security of telephone communications with Diamond when retailers seek info about their account, call to place orders or ask for changes to existing orders.

Most comic book shops and other Diamond account holders deal with Diamond Comic Distributors mostly online. You place your orders online, most do their reorders online, and if there are other issues you login and take care of it online. That doesn't mean though that Diamond doesn't do a lot of phone business to, and many retailers still call in to their representative (if they have one) or call in to the main hotline to deal with issues or place a quick reorder. Plus the Diamond reps are known for calling stores too and telling them about deals or checking on things.

When a retailer calls into Diamond though the old way used to be that you call, get ahold of a rep, give them your Account Number, say who you are (because once you give the account number, identifying the store, they can now see on a screen who is authorized to order on that account), and then you get down to business. Well, last Monday Diamond changed things a bit…

In order to improve security for call-ins, Diamond added a Customer Service Code required for every interaction and transaction done for a Diamond account over the phone. After doing the two steps of account number and giving the name of the person calling, a Customer Service Code now has to be given before you can do any business. Don't let the name fool you by the way, the Code is a mix of numbers and letters and each store gets a different one.

"With more retailers using the Retailer Services call queue, they may be more likely to speak to a representative who does not know them specifically. Rather than ask a number of verification questions, we have activated a single account code to use when placing a phone order," said Diamond Executive Director of Retailer Services Nance Romer.

If you are a retailer account that doesn't call in much, be aware that every rep will ask you for this Code from now on. If you want to get your Code, you can do it online by looking at "My Account", then "Overview", and your Customer Service Code should be there. If you can't find it that way easily you can always call in, and when they ask for the Code say you don't have it, and the representative will call the number for the account on file and give the code that way.

Now the codes are a random bit of letters and numbers so memorizing them isn't easy. Eventually Diamond plans to give retailers the ability to change the code to something they choose, but that isn't available yet … and hard to say when it will be. So for retailers, an extra layer of security has been added to every Diamond account so that people can't call in and order extra books under your retailer number to be sent to your store … that you didn't want? Well whether wanted or not that extra layer of security is now there for retailers.