Access Group

CHALLENGE

Fragmented audits created inefficiencies and ballooning costs

As the company rapidly expanded through acquisitions, compliance and security management became increasingly complex. Managing multiple frameworks, ensuring consistency across divisions, and addressing varying customer requirements posed significant challenges.

“At Access, our mission is to make it as easy as possible for businesses to operate efficiently. However, with our rapid growth, we found ourselves dealing with multiple auditors, inconsistent compliance processes, and a fragmented approach to managing SOC audits,” says Matt Steel, Head of GRC at The Access Group.

Initially, Access Group relied on multiple audit firms, each with different methodologies, communication styles, and reporting requirements. The result was inefficiency, unnecessary complexity, and significant administrative burdens.

According to Matt, “over the years, we’ve had a lot of challenges and pain points with the audit process that we inherited. Communication was really difficult. We had four different auditors to deal with. All of them wanted the evidence in their own way. All of it was done through email chains and we had version control issues.”

This fragmented approach led to costly overruns and significant administrative burdens.

SOLUTION

A unified and efficient approach with Thoropass

After evaluating several options, The Access Group partnered with Thoropass, recognizing its unique ability to consolidate audits, standardize compliance processes, and provide a centralized platform for managing security and risk.  

RESULTS

50% time savings, 25% cost reduction, and a true partnership

Implementing Thoropass gave The Access Group a comprehensive solution that transformed their operational efficiency, resulting in substantial cost savings, reduced resource demands, and dramatically faster audit processes.

Just how much time? Their audit cycles were cut in half.

“Generally, a SOC audit could have taken us 12 months from beginning to end, and now we’re probably doing it in six or seven months,” explains Matt.  

The financial impact was equally impressive.

According to Diego Baldini, CISO at The Access Group, “from a business perspective on the economics aspect, a minus 25% reduction of costs. I can scale, so I don’t need to add resources to my team.” 

For The Access Group, Thoropass has transformed compliance from a cumbersome obligation into a streamlined, strategic advantage. By reducing costs, simplifying audits, and enhancing security, the partnership has positioned The Access Group for continued growth while maintaining trust with customers worldwide

“Thoropass delivers exactly what we need—a blend of technology and expertise,” Steele concludes.

LESSONS LEARNED

Choose partners, not vendors, for long-term success

The Access Group recognized the importance of selecting a partner, not just a vendor, to navigate their complex compliance needs and future growth.

Matt explains, “we weren’t after a traditional audit company. We were after a partner.”

The partnership with Thoropass transcended a typical vendor relationship, offering a collaborative approach that streamlined audit processes and enhanced overall efficiency.

To the team at The Access Group, there was a clear difference between a partner and a vendor. 

“A vendor is somebody that just sells you a solution and goes away. Partnership with Thoropass means that we are working together on our compliance from the start to the end,” states Diego.

The Access Group’s experience with Thoropass showcased the benefits of a partnership that aligns with their company culture and prioritizes customer experience.

“We thoroughly enjoy working with Thoropass. They come with the software, they come with the people, and it really mirrors the culture that we have at Access of wanting to make things as easy as possible and help sort of customers, and it’s been great working with them,” Matt concludes.