Secure Franchise: Corporate-Level Access for Independent Stores

Simple, safe, PCI-compliant access to corporate applications and communications for retail franchises.

Franchised retail organizations typically include corporate-owned and independently owned stores. And to be effective, franchises need access to company applications that reside at headquarters just like their corporate-owned kindred. But it's not as easy as just ordering up DSL or cable service. Retailer communications must meet the strict Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCIDSS or PCI) that is mandated by major credit card companies.

In order to access corporate applications, such as inventory, accounting and customer loyalty programs, franchise locations need 100 percent PCI-complaint connectivity. Yet in many cases, franchise owners have already installed DSL, cable or T1 to give them basic Internet and email access. Franchise owners leverage this connectivity to manage their own store operations and can’t bear the cost of a second connection just to connect to applications and systems hosted by the franchiser.

Introducing Secure Franchise Service
Secure Franchise service is a complementary remote access technology to the iPass Retail Office service. This secure, PCI-compliant solution allows franchise owners to remotely access their stores leveraging the Retail Office connection installed at their store.

Using this service, franchise owners gain browser-based access to the applications or other systems they use in the stores and the store gets secure access to franchiser applications hosted by the franchiser. iPass' Secure Franchise service features two-factor authentication using an SSL VPN and an X.509 certificate—so there's no additional hardware to purchase or install.

"The Secure Franchise service from iPass provides our Retail Office customers a way to give their franchise owners secure, cost-effective access to their store networks," said Piero DePaoli, Senior Director of Product Marketing at iPass.

Features

• Cisco AnyConnect VPN client provides secure access to applications at stores running the iPass Retail Office service.
• X.509 certificate, which iPass maintains, authenticates the specific PCs that are used by the franchise owners.
• Secure, PCI-compliant connectivity enables franchise owners and key personnel to access corporate applications, such as point-of-sale (POS) systems, CRM systems, accounting ledgers and store surveillance systems, at their individual stores.
• Role-based access restricts user access to only the locations that they have permission for.

Business Benefits

• Faster checkout times for credit card, debit card, gift card and check purchases thanks to POS systems access means shorter lines and fewer cash registers needed.
• Improved customer satisfaction thanks to short checkout lines, fast service and staff who have ready access to inventory levels, loyalty program information and other data.
• Cost savings for franchise owners, who get the benefits of an SSL VPN connection without the need to purchase and maintain dedicated Internet connectivity or VPN hardware.

How It Works

• Sign up. A franchise owner signs up for Secure Franchise service, registers their PCs with iPass to receive an SSL VPN client and X.509 certificate. The certificate is one of the factors used to identify the franchise's PCs during authentication. (User credentials for the VPN client are the second factor.)
• Deploy. An automated software download of the VPN client and certificate is performed on each registered PC.
• Get right to work. Upon successful authentication, franchise owners and key personnel gain secure connections to applications at stores running the iPass Retail Office service. It's just that simple.

Learn More
For more information on iPass' Secure Franchise service, visit www.ipass.com or contact your iPass rep today.

Read the press release.