CIO OPINION behaviours , which in turn helps to prevent data leaks . Part of this proactive approach is the utilisation of the SOAR framework alongside SOCs to detect and address incidents effectively .
SOAR effectively gives organisations a playbook on how to manage incidents , outlining the steps that need to be taken and automating some of the activities . This ensures a swift response so that any potential breaches can be locked down and systems can be recovered in the shortest possible time frame .
The presence of SOAR and the automation and orchestration components it brings to the table , can then be further supported by a SOC , which is a response service or a tool that gives organisations a dedicated team 24x7 to raise flags and remediate events when alerts are triggered .
Why South Africa needs virtual customer agents to progress
It is no secret that South Africa has a service delivery problem . In the run up to elections , government departments and state owned enterprises , have come under the microscope for their inability to deliver on big budget items like infrastructure and health . Then there are the regular power outages , even in areas not being load shed , water outages , and potholes .
The same is true for more personal things , like renewing your passport or driver ’ s licence , claiming a maternity payout from UIF , or registering a new business . Try to do any of those things online and you will most likely have to navigate a poorly designed website that is not particularly helpful .
Over the years , numerous solutions have been suggested . One such area is customer service . The emergence of intelligent virtual agents offers a way to change the entire customer experience quickly . These service experts can deal with most of the high volume queries on their own while also helping human agents address the lower volume , more complex ones .
Virtual agents are far more capable than chatbots and can now operate at the level of human experts . They offer citizens a way to resolve most queries themselves , either via WhatsApp , website , app , email or even via voice . They do not ask you to wait and can work with relevant back-office systems to update details and trigger required actions . They are also available 24x7x365 so you are assured an immediate response no matter the time of day .
By offering people an effective way to get service questions answered and requests immediately processed , government departments and state owned entities can transform the perception of service delivery . Yes , there may still be potholes or issues with water , but if citizens can at least feel they can get an account query resolved , a service request logged , or an application status provided , without the added frustration of waiting in line , important goodwill can be earned .
Ryan Falkenberg , Co-CEO , CLEVVA
This ensures constant monitoring so that a rapid response can be assured . It also provides a detailed log of what happened and where , which helps organisations find ways to improve and is important for both auditing and compliance purposes .
Cybersecurity is critical for any business today , but it is also a highly specialised skill and a field that is constantly evolving . A managed security service provider ensures organisations have access to the expert resources they need , with constantly updated skill sets , in a cost-effective way .
They will assist with security posture assessments , while identifying areas for improvement , understanding the environment , the risk appetite , technical requirements , and ensuring compliance with applicable regulations .
Cybersecurity should be a collaborative relationship between the service provider and the business to ensure the provider can become an extension of an enterprise ’ s security team . It is also important for a provider to implement globally recognised standards and frameworks so that they can align with them and be held accountable to them .
Effective cybersecurity has never been more important , and organisations today need to have adaptive and contextually aware solutions that offer the right balance of access control and security without completely stalling the user from being able to do their job .
The right service provider will assist in achieving this goal and in implementing proactive security and response to ensure that incidents can be detected and mitigated rapidly , and organisations can get back to business as usual . p
36 INTELLIGENTCIO AFRICA www . intelligentcio . com