How to Get Enterprise-Ready: Making Your Software Compliant

Do you manage a B2B product? Maybe you’ve sold your product to small or mid-market businesses up until now and want to expand into the enterprise market. Maybe your product feature set has gradually matured and it’s now enterprise-ready – it’s time to onboard larger, more complex organizations.

If you want to make the move into the enterprise space, there’s a lot you need to consider – your pricing plan, your delivery model, your sales motion, your marketing strategy… But none of that will matter if you don’t fulfill the fundamental procurement requirements of most enterprises out there.

For the most part, this comes down to security and data compliance. Compliance with programs like SOC2, ISO27017, or ISO27018 is no longer a badge of honor – it’s a business imperative. And it’s a deal breaker – without the necessary compliance, no amount of persuasive sales and marketing will get them to sign on the dotted line.

Achieving that compliance can seem like a daunting journey, but with a strategic approach and the right team, it’s entirely doable. We know, because we’ve done it! And now we want to share what we learnt back when we were stepping up to enterprise level and getting ProdPad enterprise-ready.

The process involves understanding the certifications required, identifying the team responsible, and following a number of steps to ensure your software meets the required standards.

What compliance certifications do you need to be enterprise-ready?

To be enterprise-ready, software companies need to adhere to a wide range of compliance certifications, each serving different aspects of software security, data protection, and operational integrity. The specific industry and where you’re operating also matters, with requirements differing from country to country, and even at the state level in the US.

Different industries will also have different compliance requirements, and the necessity for those certifications will differ depending on whether the industry is a regulated one or not.
Here’s a look at some of the crucial certifications, ranked by their importance, to guide your compliance journey.

Must have certifications to be enterprise-ready

These certifications are the ones most commonly on enterprise procurement teams’ must-have list. It’s very unlikely you’d find enterprise organizations that would buy a software tool that didn’t comply with most of these standards.

• ISO/IEC 27001 – A global standard for information security management systems (ISMS), crucial for protecting your systems from security threats.
• SOC 2 – Ideal for service providers storing customer data in the cloud, it ensures your information security measures are in line with industry standards.
• GDPR compliance – For companies operating in or serving customers in the EU, adherence to the General Data Protection Regulation is mandatory for data protection and privacy.
• ISO/IEC 27017 – Pertaining to cloud security, an important standard for organizations operating in the cloud, providing guidelines on information security controls.
• ISO/IEC 27018 – This standard is vital for cloud service providers handling personal data.

Important international certifications to be enterprise-ready

Depending on where you are operating, the following certifications could be highly important to your organization’s certification process.

• Cyber Essentials – A UK government-backed scheme that provides a foundation of cybersecurity measures for all industries.
• CCPA compliance – For companies operating in California, the California Consumer Privacy Act sets a benchmark for privacy and data protection.
• EUCC – For European companies, following the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity guidelines helps align with EU standards for network and information security.

Important industry-specific certifications to be enterprise-ready

If your product serves more highly regulated industries, such as the Healthcare or Financial sectors, or you work with government agencies, then there will be some very specific certifications that you will need to achieve.

• HIPAA – For software companies in the healthcare sector, complying with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is crucial for protecting patient data.
• PCI DSS – If you handle credit card transactions, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is a must-have for securing payment information.
• FISMA – The Federal Information Security Management Act is important for companies working with US federal agencies to ensure data security and privacy.
• FedRAMP – Mandatory for cloud service providers serving US federal agencies, ensuring cloud products and services are secure.
• HITRUST CSF – In healthcare, HITRUST certification combines HIPAA requirements with other standards, providing comprehensive security and privacy measures.

Good-to-have certifications to be enterprise-ready

While these certifications are less vital to have, they can be both important hygiene factors for your business, and useful differentiators in a crowded or competitive market.

• ISO/IEC 27701 – As an extension to ISO/IEC 27001, focusing on privacy information management, it’s beneficial for enhancing privacy protocols beyond the basics.
• NIST Cybersecurity Framework – While not strictly speaking a certification, adhering to the NIST guidelines can significantly bolster your cybersecurity posture and is highly regarded in the industry.
• CMMC – The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification is becoming increasingly important for companies in the defense industrial base but is not universally required.
• ISO 22301 – Business continuity management, ensuring your business can continue operating during disruptions.
• ISO/IEC 20000 – IT service management, showing commitment to quality of service and customer satisfaction.
• CSA STAR certification – The Security Trust Assurance and Risk (STAR) Program for cloud environments, integrating key principles of transparency and trust.

Prioritizing your enterprise-ready compliance efforts

What is a priority for you largely depends on your industry, the nature of the data you handle, and the markets your product serves. For most software companies, starting with ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 certifications is a smart move, as they lay a solid foundation for information security management and operational integrity. GDPR and PCI DSS become critical based on geographic operation and transaction handling, respectively.

HIPAA and FISMA are indispensable for those in healthcare and government contracting, while ISO/IEC 27701 and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework are excellent for bolstering your security and privacy measures further. Industry-specific certifications like FedRAMP and HITRUST CSF should be pursued based on the specific market segments you are targeting.

The landscape of compliance certifications can seem complex (and it is!), but focusing on the “must-haves” first will allow you to build a robust compliance framework. From there, adding “good-to-haves” and industry- and location-specific certifications can enhance your competitive edge and help you ensure that your software is enterprise-ready for customers worldwide.

Who should be responsible for achieving enterprise-ready compliance?

Achieving enterprise-ready compliance is a multifarious endeavor that will require coordination and collaboration across several roles within your organization. The Product Manager often takes the day-to-day lead in navigating the compliance landscape. However, your efforts need to be supported and complemented by a diverse and cross-functional team, each contributing their expertise to ensure comprehensive compliance.

Product Managers are at the forefront, responsible for overseeing the product’s strategy and roadmap, and ensuring that compliance requirements are prioritized appropriately and given the right strategic importance. As a PM, you coordinate with various departments, translate legal requirements into technical specifications, and monitor the progress toward compliance goals.

IT and Security Teams are the people you’ll need to implement the technical aspects of compliance. This includes securing data, managing cybersecurity risks, ensuring the integrity of information systems, and deploying necessary infrastructure upgrades. Their expertise is central to addressing the technical requirements of various compliance standards.

Legal Advisors can clue you in on the important details relating to the legal implications of your compliance decisions. They’ll help you navigate the complexities of international laws and regulations to ensure you’re enterprise-ready. They assist in contract management, intellectual property issues, and ensuring that all aspects of your product and its development adhere to applicable laws.

Human Resources (HR) also plays a vital role, especially in ensuring compliance with regulations related to employee data and privacy. You’ll need these folks training everyone on compliance-related matters, managing personnel records in compliance with legal standards, and ensuring that company policies reflect the latest regulatory requirements.

If you can bring these teams together and get everyone working in harmony, you’ll have formed yourself a compliance A-Team, each bringing their own unique perspective and expertise to ensure your plan comes together.

If you collaborate in this way, you’ll not only ensure that your products meet the necessary compliance standards, but you’ll also help to foster a culture of compliance and ethical behavior within the organization.

What are the steps for getting enterprise-ready?

To get your software enterprise-ready, we’ve compiled a structured path you can follow – it involves detailed planning, rigorous testing, and continuous improvement.

Here’s a step-by-step guide showing you what you need to do to achieve compliance and prepare your software for enterprise customers:

1. Conduct a gap analysis

Start with an in-depth audit of your current software against the compliance standards you aim to meet. This involves evaluating your software’s security features, data handling processes, and operational procedures.

Tools and frameworks like the NIST Cybersecurity Framework can be useful here. The outcome is a Gap Report that highlights discrepancies between your current state and the compliance requirements.

2. Develop a strategic compliance plan

Based on the Gap Report, craft a detailed plan that outlines the necessary actions to bridge the compliance gaps. This plan should include:

• Software adjustments: Specify the changes needed in your software’s architecture, coding practices, and features to enhance security and privacy.
• Infrastructure upgrades: Detail the infrastructural improvements required, such as server security enhancements and secure data storage solutions.
• Policy and procedural updates: Outline the revisions needed in your internal policies and procedures to align with compliance standards. This includes training programs for staff on compliance best practices.

It’s a good idea to make sure your compliance plan has its rightful place on your roadmap rather than being squeezed in as someone’s side project. After all, if it’s strategically important that you make in-roads in the enterprise market, then that importance needs to be reflected in your product priorities. That will help ensure the initiative is given the right level of resource and investment.

If done right, compliance to these standards should unlock sales opportunities and directly impact revenue. That’s why you need to get this on your roadmap, set a nice target outcome of increasing revenue or growing enterprise market share – and then measure the results post-release and celebrate the wins!

3. Implement the compliance measures

With the plan in place, start putting it into practice. This step is iterative and involves:

• Software development: Update your software according to the plan, incorporating enhanced security features and compliance-specific functionalities.
• Infrastructure modifications: Upgrade your IT infrastructure to support the necessary security and compliance measures.
• Policy enforcement: Update your internal policies and procedures, and ensure all staff are trained and aware of their responsibilities under the new guidelines.

4. Conduct internal audits and pre-certification assessments

Before seeking official certification, conduct thorough internal audits to test the effectiveness of your enterprise-ready compliance measures. This might involve simulated security breaches, data privacy audits, and other stress tests.

Pre-certification assessments by third-party organizations can also offer valuable insights and identify any remaining gaps before you apply for certification.

5. Obtain official certification

Once you’re confident in your compliance status, it’s time to obtain your official certification from the relevant authorities. This process will vary depending on the specific certifications you’re pursuing but generally involves extensive documentation and an official audit by the certifying body.

There are companies you could call on to help you manage this stage of getting enterprise-ready. Organizations such as Trust Assurance Platform, Vanta, Drata, or Strikegraph can help you gather all the evidence and documentation that you need to present to the auditors. Known as compliance platforms, these tools and services can help you speed up the process and get you over the final hurdle.

These platforms can be used to automatically collect (where the integration exists) the evidence needed to prove you meet the controls on a regular basis. In addition, these platforms allow you to upload evidence manually again on a regular basis. This way the auditors can review the evidence without needing to talk to you directly.

6. Implement continuous monitoring and improvement

You’re not done yet! Compliance is not a one-off achievement but an ongoing process. Implement systems for continuous monitoring of your compliance status, including regular software updates, periodic audits, and ongoing staff training.

Stay informed about changes in compliance standards and adjust your practices accordingly to maintain your certifications. Don’t take your eye off the compliance ball! 

7. Customer transparency and support

Finally, ensure that your efforts toward compliance are visible and transparent to your customers. Provide them with detailed information about your compliance status and how it protects their data and interests. This is a good news story and it’s worth shouting about.

Offer support for any compliance-related queries they may have, and demonstrate how your software facilitates their own compliance efforts, such as through audit trails, security features, and data management tools.

8. Secure new enterprise customers!

Don’t go through all the work to get your compliance badges and then not shout it from the rooftops! The whole reason behind this initiative was to secure enterprise customers, or remove sales objections that might have blocked deals in the past. 

So, now you are compliant, make sure the Sales and Marketing Team are all over it. Here are some things you could do to drive awareness of your enterprise-readiness…

• Add the compliance badges to your website (the footer is a nice place, have a look below to see ours👇).
• Reach out to any ‘Closed Lost’ prospects where not having the compliance certification was the deal breaker, and see if you can win them over now.
• Try some Account Based Marketing and target a list of relevant, enterprise organizations that match your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Consider contacting their procurement teams (the people who will care about compliance the most) to get on their radar as a possible software solution.

Achieving enterprise readiness through compliance is a meticulous and ongoing process, but it’s worth it to enhance your software’s market appeal and build trust with your enterprise customers.

By following these steps, you can ensure your software meets the rigorous demands of enterprise-level deployment, which will give you a solid foundation for growth and success in the competitive software market.

What’s the newest compliance requirement to be enterprise-ready? 

The EU AI Act! 

As the European Union prepares to implement the AI Act, a pioneering piece of legislation designed to regulate the use of artificial intelligence across its member states, software enterprises and Product Managers should take note!

The act introduces a risk-based classification system for AI applications, setting out requirements and compliance standards from minimal to unacceptable risks. Understanding and adhering to these classifications will be critical, not just to avoid hefty fines, but also to ensure your products meet the EU’s rigorous safety and ethical standards.

The implications of the EU AI Act go further than mere legal compliance, though. If you proactively align your AI deployments with the act’s requirements early on, you could gain a competitive edge, fostering trust and credibility among European consumers and businesses.

This alignment will go a long way to emphasize your company’s commitment to principles that are increasingly valued in the global marketplace, such as ethical AI development, focusing on transparency, accountability, and the safeguarding of fundamental rights. This will help ensure you’re enterprise-ready going forward into the AI age, as large businesses adjust to the growing regulatory frameworks.

For companies aiming to penetrate or expand within the European market, compliance with the EU AI Act will be, to put a fine point on it, non-negotiable. Early adaptation to its requirements will ensure a smoother market entry and operations generally. And you can be sure that other regulations will follow worldwide, which you’ll already be geared up to address.

It just goes to show how important it is to stay informed and responsive to the evolving regulatory landscape, both in AI technologies and in the tech field as a whole. Ensuring a proactive approach not only mitigates risk but will help position your company as a leader in the responsible use and development of AI.

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It’s important to remember that achieving enterprise-ready compliance is more than a regulatory hurdle; it’s a commitment to excellence and an opportunity to set your software apart in a crowded marketplace. Plus, if you manage it, pulling in enterprise customers is sure to do wonders for your revenue 🤑.

By fostering a culture of compliance, embracing the roles each team member plays, and staying informed about regulations like the EU AI Act, you’re not just getting your software enterprise ready – you’re preparing your company for future success.

So let’s turn this compliance journey into a stepping stone for building better, safer, and more reliable software. Your grandkids will thank you for it when they’re not being riddled with lazers by Terminators.