Safeguarding your business reputation and customer trust

If people don't trust you with their data, it could destroy you

When SaaS businesses first start, the primary focus is usually on attracting and acquiring new customers to support growth. Security is often an afterthought, left to fly under the radar until the enterprise is 'big' enough.

But here's the problem with this approach – it leads to a mad-dash implementation of security controls, forcing you to take your eye off the grander prize. With increasing threats and tighter privacy regulations, as a software provider who has crossed the chasm into the mainstream, you'll find you're dealing with heightened scrutiny from customers – and your board.

Selecting a secure cloud platform and building robust security systems into your software is fundamental to removing the risk– but it's also just the beginning.

Best practices for a better customer experience

Proactive management is where start-ups often trip up because their attention is diverted elsewhere. Continuous improvement strategies will ensure you meet and exceed your due diligence. With the proper infrastructure in place, your SaaS company can keep clients' data safe and retain them over longer periods.

Outsource your security

Ideally, security is someone's day job, or you work with a partner who provides a disciplined approach to managing it. Otherwise, security improvement gets put off, and that's the day you get compromised.

Good security becomes a sales tool

Trust is a fundamental building block of any SaaS company, so people must trust you with their data. That way, as you move from traction to scale, you'll find people's trust in your security an invaluable asset – it's one of the best ways to build trust in your product.

SaaS companies must prioritise security

Being reactive to cybersecurity is a recipe for disaster. Start-ups must tackle security as an added element of the customer experience by implementing proactive management strategies that keep customer data secure. SaaS companies that do this can win and retain customer trust for longer and enhance their reputation in the market too.

Our latest eBook, From start-up to hyper-growth: how to set your SaaS business up for scale, explores the roadblocks that often trip up fast-scaling businesses – and why busywork is what sends so many SaaS companies to an early grave.