Another Successful Online Consulting Project for ISO 27001 with Zero Nonconformities. The World is Evolving and Therefore We Must Adjust

If you would have asked me years ago if consulting could be done remotely, I would have said no! In fact, I would have demanded that for the project to succeed we had to be on-site, perhaps not stationed for six months at a time, but at least perform a few visits during the length of the project. The thought of not going to the site at all seemed impossible.  

Fast forward to Covid time, Houston freezing over, and other disasters, and it seems like the impossible has become now a reality. In 2020, we completed a project for the first time in the history of Mireaux where everything was done online, not just the consulting, but also the auditing. Granted, this was a service company, it definitely marked a change in how people were responding and actually embracing the thought of not having a Consultant on-site. And as we continue with more Consulting, Auditing, and Training projects being done remotely or via live stream, 2021 seems even more open to this change.  

In February of 2021, we engaged in an ISO 27001 Consulting project where the whole consulting was conducted online, while the Internal Audit was performed on-site. Once again, the project was a complete success. This time Mireaux had invested in Microsoft Teams and each of our Associates was able to use Teams as their meeting tool. This was a great accomplishment for Mireaux, as well as for our Client who achieved their certification in time and with zero nonconformities. 

“Working with [Our Client] was a pleasant project. With a quick turnaround, we were able to utilize Microsoft Teams to meet with [Our Client] around the clock and set up their entire ISMS within a few months. A lot of hard work and long hours, but with {Our Client] cooperated tremendously throughout the process and we were able to successfully help them achieve certification with no nonconformities, a feat worth recognition considering where we started!” – commented Geno Duran, Technical Writer at Mireaux.  

Geno D. Technical Writer at Mireaux Management Solutions

So I asked our Mireaux team, what made the difference and why are people so open now to not having a Consultant on-site? And the reason became clear. In general, when a Consultant goes to a Client site that is away from their home base, they have to “park” themselves at the Client site for 2-4 days at a time. This created a significant disruption, for the company, and for our contacts who have had to host us or chaperone us throughout the duration of our stay, not to mention feed us and make sure we are comfortable. However, after Covid, people have become at ease with the notion of using a video conference tool to meet other people, and with each of our Consultants having their own Microsoft Teams account, they are now able to set up their meetings at a time that is more convenient for them and the Client to meet. No longer do they need to park themselves at the Client site for days on end, week after week. They can now just meet every single day for an hour or two, if necessary, with the process owners or subject matter experts, to conduct interviews, review procedures, etc. – online ever so lively. And people can go on with their day before and after they meet with us.

But let’s not underestimate the power of being face to face and having a one-on-one conversation. However, the world is evolving and therefore we must adjust. Rather than wait, complain, or make excuses, we must seek and look for better tools to make us more efficient, but also to make our efforts more effective in this world we are living in.

In the end, our client was very satisfied and pleased that we were able to get them ready and certified within just a few months. Here is what S. Baldwin, Internal Compliance Project Manager, had to say, “Highly recommend! Working with Mireaux Management Solutions has been a positive experience. Consultants were always on time, helpful, and available to answer questions and meet whenever needed. They did quite a lot of work for us to ensure we were ready for the certification audit. I would highly recommend them to organizations, especially smaller ones, seeking their initial certification.”

If your company is still looking to become certified or have been for a few years, call Mireaux. Chances are, we can help you -whether on-site or remotely- to make sure that you achieve the goals and the certification you desire.