CBS hopes to net larger accounts with accolade

Securing an ISO standard accreditation has opened up new opportunities for the support services firm

Recognition: CBS will target larger organisations including the military and the NHS.

Midlands-based support services firm Central Business Services (CBS) is launching an offensive on corporate and government accounts after bagging an ISO standard on information security management.

The VAR has traditionally focused on accounts with up to 150 users, but plans to use its ISO/IEC 27001 badge to crack larger accounts.

Fewer than 400 UK firms have passed the standard, which CBS claimed is required by larger organisations as an assurance that their data is adequately protected in outsourcing deals.

Daryl Gordon, managing director of CBS, said: “Financial and managing directors of larger companies who understand the impact of data only want to work with someone who has this accreditation. Now we have it, it will open up a few doors.”

Gordon said CBS would use the certification to target IT support and server/networking upgrades among government agencies, including the NHS and the military.

The SME support services market is being increasingly squeezed by one-man bands leading on price, but offering poor-quality service, Gordon added. He admitted the certification was a large investment for a firm with just 20 staff, having spent 18 months and £20,000 working towards its completion.

“A lot of the larger resellers will not have this certification, or will be working towards it,” he said.

Channel support services firm Intact Integrated Services (ISS) has just launched a gap analysis service designed to help resellers identify the steps they need for ISO certification.

ISS managing director Bob Dalton, said: “ISO 27001 is on the cusp of moving from a nice differentiator to a must-have in some sectors. Central and local government are at the forefront of requiring that you have the standard, or you are effectively excluded.”