Merchants? Credit Guide Co. Joins Tech Lock Certified Program

Chicago – Tech Lock, Inc. announces the joining of Merchants’ Credit Guide Co. (Merchants’) to its Tech Lock Certified™ program. Tech Lock Certified™ is a holistic compliance assessment, combining multiple regulatory and industry standard control objectives into a single audit to provide the agency cost savings and provide their clients with a true data security compliance validation. Unlike a SAS 70 type II audit which does not specify a pre-determined set of control objectives, Tech Lock Certified™ does, thus providing the client with a true look at an organization’s data security and compliance programs.

Merchants’, like many other small businesses in the ARM industry, is consistently asked to show proof of compliance with standards or laws such as PCI DSS, HIPAA/HITECH, GLBA, ISO 27002, Massachusetts 201 CMR 17.00: Standards for the Protection of Personal Information of Residents of the Commonwealth, and Nevada’s Personal Information Law NRS 603a. These compliance requirements can be time consuming and resource intensive to achieve.

“In our industry, we are at the mercy of numerous regulatory security requirements that are far from being uniform when it comes to compliance. We needed expert help,” says Daniel Burtis, Merchants’ Chief Executive Officer. “We entered the Tech Lock Certified™ program to validate the significant investment in technical safeguards and policies we have made over the past few years and to demonstrate our commitment to our clients that the protection of their customer data is of the utmost importance. Achieving Tech Lock certification is a great value and will provide a competitive advantage for our business.”

“Utilizing the Tech Lock Certified™ program provides Merchants’ the ability to meet current and future client requirements as well as a marketing advantage when responding to new RFP’s,” says Todd Langusch, Tech Lock’s Chief Executive Officer. “Tech Lock receives inquires on a frequent basis regarding the differences between Tech Lock Certified™ and SAS 70 type II audit. The difference is night and day. SAS 70 is not a technology audit; rather it is a look at the characteristics of internal controls developed by the entity undergoing the SAS 70 and their business processes. Conversely, Tech Lock Certified™ is a technology and information security management system audit with a strict adoption of pre-determined data security control objectives.”

About Merchants’ Credit Guide Co.  
Merchants’ Credit Guide Co. (Merchants’), established in 1896, is a family owned and operated collection agency committed to serving the cash flow needs of health care providers and businesses. Merchants’ mission is to become “Your Trusted Partner in Performance.” Focused on their clients’ needs, requirements and goals, Merchants’ provides the right solution professionally, honestly, ethically, and in compliance, securing their clients’ information and money, every day, year after year.

About Tech Lock, Inc.
Tech Lock, Inc. is focused on serving the ARM industry, including credit grantors, collection agencies, debt buyers, service organizations, healthcare providers and more. Tech Lock’s IT professionals all possess Fortune 100 and ARM industry experience. This makes Tech Lock uniquely skilled in serving the ARM industry as it relates to information technology, data security, and regulatory compliance. Tech Lock is a service disabled veteran owned small business. For more information, please visit www.techlockinc.com.