Niyamath Parveez

The business person or company who can predict what is coming next will always manage to be a success and stay ahead of the game. This is obviously not an easy task because if it was then everyone would be able to predict the future and there would be no advantage in doing so, in fact, the advantage would come from doing something different. However, in the current climate being able to predict what is coming around the corner and where the benefits are going to come from is all so important. Sometimes this means taking a risk, which is definitely difficult to do at this moment in time but when a risk comes off, the benefits to the firm will see them well placed regardless of the twists and turns the market may make.

This is as true for markets that are calmer than the more volatile markets and if you were to name a calmer market, Canada would definitely be in the running. A lot of this may come from the fact that it is neighbors with America, who always seem mad, bad and dangerous to know. This means that many foreign nationalists may not give the Canadians the respect they deserve but there is no doubt that many firms and companies could learn from the successful Canadian model.

Realizing that firms are looking for any way to trim their bottom line, any possible cut back is a good move. Outsourcing jobs is the most instant issue that people consider but there is also the opportunity to outsource services like outsourcing and data warehousing. Computers are now an integral part of everyday business for many companies but there is still the likelihood that many firms are struggling to keep up with the most efficient ways of dealing with their data or database needs. Unless companies are able to pay top dollar for the highest trained staff or be able to put their staff through training to keep up to date, they may lag behind with the latest technologies. This causes inefficiency and when you are looking to ensure that every dollar and cent is accounted for, inefficiency can be a killer. Therefore, many firms are looking to outsource their data warehouse and storage facilities to bring in a batter range of expertise and knowledge. This is exactly the area that Canada IT firms are turning their attention to and the ability to save money whilst assisting their local economy is very attractive.

During the recession, each firm needs to put their own needs at the top of their list of priorities but once that has been achieved, being able to provide jobs in the local economy is a great bonus and the IT service is an outsourcing facility that can provide this. As the benefits from outsourcing these IT services is as much from the level of experience as opposed to just cost saving, Canadian firms are finding out that the solution they really need can be found on their own doorstep.

Outsourcing is necessary to reduce operational costs and increase profits of an organization. There can be no doubt about it. But exposing too much sensitive data to the offshore service providers can backfire on a company. There have been incidents in the past when a company’s sensitive data has been compromised, and their offshore service providers have been suspected for the breach. The fault is not just of the providers either. The company’s have often been less than cautious about their confidential data. When a company leaves their sensitive data exposed, even hackers can gain access to it.

In order to prevent incidents of data leakage, companies need to follow some good policies to ensure security of sensitive data. Here are some of those:

1. Classifying the data – This is one of the most important steps to be taken to secure data. The company needs to determine which types of data are sensitive and which types won’t make much difference even if compromised. For banks, for instance, data about the changing rates of taxation based on the clients’ monthly income won’t make much difference even if it is seen by outsiders. But, critical information about clients, such as, their contact details, bank account numbers and passwords, etc. must never get compromised if the bank is to stay in business. Literally.
2. Categorizing the organization – This is another important step. Is the company a bank or a financial institution? Is it a healthcare company or a public company? Does the company deal with loads of personal data of clients? These are the questions that the personnel of a company must answer before opting for an offshore service provider. If they deal with a lot of sensitive data about clients, such as their contact information, their bank account details and their monthly salary figures, then the company needs to be extra cautious to ensure that the clients’ data is not compromised by the service provider.
3. Choosing the right vendor – This is a pretty tough thing to do, but important nonetheless. It is better to choose offshore service providers who also have branches in the US, for ensuring extra credibility about the provider. Some questions are good to ask to a prospective provider before the deal is finalized. The provider should be asked whether they would agree to submit to an external security audit of their company. This will ensure that the provider takes the issue of security of client data seriously. Also, it is good to ask them whether they can provide a list of names of past clients. If the company tries to weasel out of answering these two questions satisfactorily, it is a sure shot sign that they are hiding something. The deal should not be made with them in the first place.

Finally, before completing the deal, care should be taken to determine which activities are going to be outsourced. Sensitive activities like penetration testing of the company’s network and automation scripting are best done by service providers with excellent reputation in the field, to ensure that the safety of the company’s network and sensitive data will not be compromised. Offshore service providers should be chosen carefully. The safety and reputation of the company both depend on taking the right decision regarding this.