Choosing the right security provider or service will save you time and money 

In today’s complex digital landscape, knowing how to digitalise your business safety, and what tools to use to manage the cyber security risk you might face, is not an easy task.

This is true especially if you are growing quickly or even if you simply have limited technical resources and want to know where to place your effort.

Sage invests in your security and has dedicated cyber security teams who manage different aspects and whose knowledge you can leverage to support you and your business.  

We understand that the big picture on cyber security can feel overwhelming, even to those who know what they need to do.

Many of the questions that businesses ask are about how they can choose the right provider or cyber security service and what questions they should be asking to make sure they are getting what they need. 

What to consider when choosing a security vendor

As cyber security threats have proliferated and become commoditised, it means there are also as many security vendors and suppliers promising to keep you secure.  

Here are the top five5 things to consider when you are thinking of using a security vendor to help you protect your business:  

1. Capability alignment

Have you properly identified the gap that you need the vendor to fill, and are they the right people to fill it?

Try to filter any sales pitches that may sway you, as a small or medium business (SMB), you will need security vendors to dovetail into your teams and extend your capabilities.

Ask yourself, what is it that they are doing that you need?  

2. Cost

When introducing a new security tool, strategise on how to derive value from it.

Take into account the expenses associated with setting up and upkeeping the tool over its lifespan, to guarantee a worthwhile return on investment.

Who is going to maintain it or communicate with the provider? And have you accounted for the spend for the entirety of your contract? 

You also need to feel assured that you are getting a good price for the service. Research and compare several different suppliers.

Consider spending the time documenting your requirements and getting formal proposals that meet your criteria so you can compare more easily.

Some vendors will help you pull this together but be mindful of their objectives.  

3. Culture fit

Does the vendor fit your culture?

Will they communicate with you in the way you want them to? Will they be responsive enough?

What are you to them? A small fraction of their bottom line, or a partner that they want to grow with?

Do you have a named account manager that will get to know your business, or is it an anonymous support or sales team?

Knowing how you would like the partnership to be and where it is enabling your business can help with aligning objectives from the outset.  

4. Value add

What can the vendor support you with that might be outside your radar? Do they have a broader skillset you can tap into?

Can they open your network, help with your staff’s professional development, or otherwise support the evolution and growth of your security team? 

5. Responsiveness or flexibility

SMBs are often more reactive. Can the vendor adapt with you to changing situations? How would that affect your contract?

Consider contract length if you are partnering with them for the first time, or don’t have the experience bringing this sort of vendor into your capability portfolio.

It might not work out and you don’t want to be tied into a long contract just because it’ll save you a few percent a year.

Always be confident and don’t allow fear to motivate your decisions, as this can be something that is leveraged when it comes to cyber security.  

Final thoughts 

Planning and being clear on what you really need is important when considering security vendors.

It will save you from wasting time and money on the wrong solutions, and bring your teams together with a cohesive solution that ensures the security of your business, supported by the right partners. 

Sage is committed to delivering the best possible security to keep our products and customer data secure. Read about our case study with Cloudflare a global cloud platform that is designed to integrate security solutions in one place to ensure that everything that is connected to the internet is secure, private, fast, and reliable.