Optimizing Security Operations at Zylo with Questionnaire Automation & Trust Pages

Overview:

Zylo, the leader in Enterprise SaaS Management in Indianapolis, Indiana, faced challenges in driving efficiency in the security questionnaire process, especially for complex enterprise clients. Daven Combs, Director of Security, sought a solution to streamline the process, reduce the time spent, and enhance overall efficiency while maintaining accuracy. With HyperComply, Zylo’s 5-person security team has successfully addressed these challenges, resulting in faster sales cycles and improved security operations by implementing questionnaire automation, Data Rooms, and Trust Pages. 

Background:

Daven Combs, an IT and security leader with over 30 years of experience, joined Zylo from Salesforce. At Zylo, he oversees not only security but also IT, privacy, and DevOps. As Zylo continued to move upmarket into the enterprise space, Daven focused on developing a consistent and efficient process to answer the influx of security questionnaires, ensuring Zylo could scale to meet the demands of its growing enterprise customer base. 

Challenges:

1. Manual Process Inefficiencies: Handling security questionnaires manually was time-consuming and inefficient. With enterprise questionnaires averaging 100 to 500 questions, the process often took at least 2 hours per, excluding interruptions and context switching.

2. Inconsistent Answers: Previously, Zylo had multiple copies of security answers from different periods, leading to potential inconsistencies and inaccurate information being shared. 

“Our sales team had multiple versions of our responses, some of which were not fully updated. It was not the best process or experience, and I had to track down and standardize our security answers.”‍

3. High Workload: The increase in enterprise sales led to a higher volume of complex questionnaires, intensifying the security team's workload. This made it difficult to keep up with timely responses while managing other responsibilities.

4. Data Management Issues: Before HyperComply, Zylo used a manual system to share security documentation.

Solution:

Zylo adopted HyperComply to address the inefficiencies in their security questionnaire process. The solution provided several key benefits:

1. Automated Responses: HyperComply automated the process of answering security questionnaires, reducing the average time spent from a couple of uninterrupted hours to just 52 minutes per questionnaire, with an average of 15 seconds per question.

2. Centralized Knowledge Base: The platform centralized and standardized security answers, ensuring up-to-date responses.

3. Improved Efficiency: By having HyperComply handle the bulk of the questionnaire responses, Zylo was able to streamline its sales process and improve overall efficiency.

4. Enhanced Documentation Sharing: HyperComply’s Data Rooms and Trust Pages have scaled Zylo’s approach to distributing security information. Data Rooms securely distribute security packets and customer-specific documentation. At the same time, Trust Pages showcase Zylo's commitment to security and streamline access requests for security documents from customers and prospects. Zylo has eliminated the need for manual document sending and updates and established an efficient, secure process for sharing security information.

“Between Data Rooms and Trust Pages, I can route all our security requests correctly. If someone makes a request on our Trust Page, if they're neither an active opportunity nor customer, then I redirect them to a Business Development Representative (BDR).”

Impact:

Faster Sales Cycles: HyperComply's automation reduced friction in the sales cycle by decreasing the time spent on security questionnaires and ensuring timely responses.

“The first thing that comes to mind is a faster sales cycle. You don't want anything to stand in the way of a smooth sales experience, and we want to ensure that we accurately and quickly provide prospective customers with what they need.”

Increased Accuracy: Standardized answers and centralized data improved the accuracy of responses and reduced the risk of errors.

Enhanced Security Operations: HyperComply has helped streamline security questionnaire responses and secure documentation sharing, improving security and efficiency.

Time Savings: Daven and his team experienced a significant reduction in the time required to handle questionnaires. What previously took at least 2 hours per questionnaire has been reduced to a fraction of the time.

“Trust Pages allow prospects to see our security posture at a glance. They can instantly see our SOC-2 and all related policies, making it clear that security is not just a priority but a critical commitment.”

Conclusion:

Implementing HyperComply at Zylo has led to notable improvements in managing security questionnaires and sharing secure documentation. By automating responses, centralizing data, and enhancing documentation sharing, Zylo has streamlined its processes, reduced time spent, and improved overall efficiency. The solution has not only facilitated faster sales cycles but also strengthened Zylo’s security operations, allowing the team to focus more on strategic tasks. 

“With HyperComply, I’m not worried about our security process slowing down the deal cycle. We can move as fast as the prospect needs us to.”

- Daven on receiving security questionnaires and security requests post-HyperComply