Successfully obtaining ISO 27001 certification for your computer systems can be simple with the proper assistance, adequate planning, and preparation. Selecting a certified ISO 27001 consultant should be an essential component of this planning since this process calls for planning and preparation on its own.
In order to properly prepare your system for certification, you will need to work with the “right” ISO 27001 consultant. This consultant will depend on your specific business goals, market niche, and industry. The following five considerations are crucial when choosing an ISO 27001 consultant to assist your company:
Goals
What further goals do you have for your purpose in relation to ISO 27001 certification? Are you thinking about obtaining certification? Are you looking to understand business continuity better? Want to switch the platform where your ISMS is hosted?
You can now advance these associated goals and later save effort, time and money. Additionally, it is simpler to assess whether a consulting firm’s strategy, experience, and services align with your requirements once you clearly understand your engagement’s goals.
Requirements
The key here is to assess the organisation and the specific consultants you would be working with. Do they prioritise information assurance, or is it more of a side project? Do they also provide supplementary services? Have they had significant experience in your field?
Have they experienced deployment situations similar to yours? How much experience do their consultants have specifically with ISO 27001 services? Do they possess credentials demonstrating their expertise? Additionally, does the company have credible testimonies you can contact and whose judgement you trust? Make sure to cheque these prior to hiring your ISO 27001 consultant.
Cost
Despite the distinction between cost and time- and business-criticality that was mentioned above, a vendor’s strategy could significantly affect the overall cost for ISO 27001 certification. Is work performed for a set cost or on a time and supplies basis? Are the contributions “front-loaded,” putting your financial security at risk if the union is unsuccessful? Are the success of your certification and the company’s services “guaranteed”?
Cost is always crucial, but you must “contextualise” it to fit your unique circumstances. Spending a further $5,000 on a consulting company with the most significant knowledge and fit for your needs is perhaps a worthwhile investment if failing to certify ISO 27001 compliance for your SAAS service within the next nine months could result in losing a ten-million-dollar contract. A risk that could be justified is going with a less costly consultant if ISO-27001 is a “great to have” rather than a “need to have.”
Location
Do you care if a consultant is close by geographically? That could be highly significant for certain businesses while being essentially unimportant for others. And in the age of virtual enterprises and global corporate footprints, what exactly is “local”? With everything else being equal, if you can, try to sit across from individuals at the table.
Staffing
Numerous ISO 27001 initiatives are time-sensitive or time-constrained. Staffing can be crucial if your project is moving quickly. An ISO 27001 consultant deals with clients through 1099 contractors rather than full-time employees. Because of this, it is more challenging to ensure that it can exercise the staffing control that a tight schedule might require.
Similar to how some consultants might assign just one person to a task, others might prefer to assign numerous. Is it possible for one individual, especially a contractor, to complete all necessary to fulfil your deadline? What if that individual becomes sick or leaves? These are significant risks to think about.
