The outsourcing of IT among businesses and organisations has become increasingly common. Companies have realised that establishing a solid framework and IT infrastructure is best left in the hands of the real experts so that they can focus more on their core business.

Smart Technologies has built its successful reputation on this principle and today, it is regarded as the leading IT outsourcing company in Malta. More companies have been waking up to the reality that in order to remain competitive they need to reduce costs while ensuring that their IT structures remain reliable, robust and efficient.

However, there are a number of security concerns with outsourcing IT services, some of which include maintaining privacy of sensitive data, quality of service and awareness of local laws and regulations. As it built its outsourcing business, Smart Technologies knew how to deal with such security issues in order to ensure that its clients’ businesses and interests remain protected.

“In order to effectively secure outsourced activities, it is essential to have in place proper procedures. Securing transfer of data is equally important as the procedures on how the external organisation will store this data and secure it within their facility,” explains Christopher Demicoli, business development manager at Smart Technologies.

Smart Technologies constantly operates within environments that require the handling of very sensitive data. In this regard, the company’s employees are also vetted by the Malta Standards Authority to ensure the highest level of security.

“Prior to reaching an outsourcing agreement, both business partners could discuss an effective drafting of a data protection agreement between the company and its contractor to ensure that they maintain the high level of security expected to protect data and ensure that such data is only made available to authorised parties. These agreements are mostly effective and important in areas where perhaps effective privacy laws and regulations do not apply,” says Mr Demicoli.

“As companies hire or contract out to other organisations, effective security measures must continue to be put in place. Where possible, background checks should take place and processes should be implemented to effectively monitor activities of data access and transactions closely. In the cases where the cost of security may outweigh the benefits of outsourcing, the organisation should re-evaluate its long-term outsourcing strategy and determine if certain services or work should simply remain within the company.

“That said, agreements and too many complicated dealings could hamper the very scope of any business: effective results. Therefore, choosing to do business and outsource one’s platforms from a reliable, trusted and experienced IT provider is always the best and safest option,” says Mr Demicoli.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.