Airlock offers the security needed for financial institutions

‘Today, we need to understand the finance business’

The challenges facing MSPs in the financial sector have changed significantly. ‘Whereas it used to be enough to understand IT, today we need to understand the finance business,’ remarked Stefan Breiter, Chief Solutions Officer at SOBACO. This shift has a great deal to do with the digital transformation, which is becoming increasingly complex. ‘When it comes to the digital transformation, standing still is the same as falling behind. That is why we need to be aware of the challenges of tomorrow today – with new technologies, new regulations and IT security.’ For Stefan Breiter, one thing is clear: ‘MSPs must offer their customers genuine added value. This is why proactive consulting is needed, instead of just waiting for and responding to enquiries.’

Generating added value with expert partners

Mr Breiter illustrated what proactive consulting looks like in practice using a specific example. ‘A good user experience and smart onboarding processes are becoming increasingly important in the banking environment. So if I can proactively demonstrate how two-factor authentication can improve both security and usability, then I can create added value for my client.’ However, proactive consulting only works if you have reliable and competent partners – such as Airlock – by your side. ‘Airlock provides us with the consistent security technologies that banks and asset managers need – and at the very highest level.’

Mr Breiter then went on to explain one of the main advantages of Airlock: ‘What some consultants like to keep secret is the fact that two-factor authentication is a sensible solution, especially when paired with a powerful cIAM system.’ This is the only way to quickly adjust compliance changes, easily integrate new applications and offer smart user self-services.

‘With Airlock, I know I can rely on futureproof solutions’

Another current major issue in the financial sector is open banking and the introduction of PSD2. Again, MSPs need to understand both the technology and the transformation of business models. ‘Mobile banks, crypto companies and new fintech providers are not only challenging for IT, but also for the value creation and culture of financial institutions.’ However, as Stefan Breiter explained: ‘I should not talk to banks about their culture if I cannot answer the essential technological questions. And these concern IT security in particular.’ This is precisely why the collaborative relationship with Airlock is so valuable for SOBACO. ‘When it comes to Airlock, I know that I can also rely on top-of-the-range and futureproof solutions for API banking.’ This does not just mean relying on the quality of software experts, but also on the quality of the collaborative relationship.

‘Putting it simply, working with Airlock is cool!’

‘A partner you meet regularly, who responds promptly to enquiries and who you can quickly work together on customer-specific adjustments with is simply worth their weight in gold.’ If complex requirements are to be implemented in an agile and dynamic manner, it is precisely this type of partnership on an equal footing that is needed. Or, as Stefan Breiter summed it up: ‘Working with Airlock is straightforward, friendly and productive, which is what makes it so cool!’