Client Success Story: OA International

In this client success feature, we talk to Alan Chang, founder and Managing Director of OA International Group of Companies.

Within the group, OA Assurance PAC and Singapore Corporate Services are Data Protection Trustmark (DPTM) certified businesses. In this story, Alan shares the organisation’s journey with Straits Interactive to attain the distinguished DPTM and the motivation behind the move.

Tell us more about your companies and why you decided to get them Data Protection Trustmark (DPTM) certified.

OA Assurance PAC provides assurance services and they have a different group of clientele and teams that they manage their client portfolio. On the other hand, Singapore Corporate Services Pte Ltd, the non-assurance services arm of the business, provides non-assurance services like company secretary, tax, outsource accounting and business advisory.

During the course of our business, we will need to have access to confidential information including contracts and staff payroll. It came to the point that in order for us to be in the compliance business, give confidence to our clients and to prove why we can handle their highly confidential data, my team and I need to understand the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) and have evidence for it.

Hence, I was the person who made the decision to embark on the DPTM certification journey regardless of how hard it might be. Now, we have become the first CPA firm to achieve DPTM.

Click here to watch the video where Alan describes his DPTM journey with Straits Interactive.

How did your company’s data protection plans change on the DPTM journey?

I would say that the “before” and “after” process is not distinctively different. Prior to engaging Straits Interactive, we had pockets of practices and policies in place and embedded into our business processes. However, these practices and policies were not placed in a structure that documents all our policies through a detailed certification process that included checklists and questions.

By engaging Straits Interactive and receiving their guidance, all employees went through data protection training courses conducted by Straits Interactive and SMU Academy. I must say that there is a lot more structure to the policies and they have helped us connect the points to ensure that everything is properly indexed and tabled.

Why did you choose Straits Interactive for your data protection needs, with regards to DPTM and training?

We were in the market searching for the right service provider and I had actually spoken to a few. I found Straits Interactive very engaging and the company was able to provide assurance and walk us through the process because at that point, we didn’t know what we didn’t know.

In fact, I found Straits Interactive very forthcoming in addressing my concerns and questions, they gave me the assurance to a certain extent that they would walk through the whole journey with us.

Did you face any challenges during the project and how were they resolved?

We had to face a few challenges at the same time. For example, we had to transition to new work practices due to the new regulations in view of COVID-19 while managing the DPTM assessment when the amendments to the PDPA kicked in. However, the training from Straits Interactive helped to prepare my team, and I appreciate my consultant’s experience and advice.

What advice do you have for organisations planning to implement a Data Protection Management Programme (DPMP)?

I would encourage companies to look for reputable data protection experts to assist them. There are resources available online but I find that with expert guidance, we are able to meet our aim of putting real repeatable processes in place in a much shorter time.

When we perform our business, I think it is important for us to be ready to show the evidence that data protection is actually implemented and that’s where we wanted to make sure that a good baseline was achieved. Using DPOinBOX actually helped us to manage this in a very structured way. It also helped me to appreciate why this is not something that can just be done overnight.

Click here to watch the video where Alan describes the practicality and usefulness of DPOinBOX, a platform that helps organisations be operationally compliant and demonstrate accountability in weeks.

Explore the DPOinBOX platform by signing up for a free trial here or get a free walkthrough session by our consultants here.

Would you encourage other companies to undertake DPTM?

Personal data protection is a very important topic for everyone now and will continue to be so. Companies are increasingly investing more in this area and I believe the future is very bright for those who care about personal data protection, especially companies that have obtained the DPTM.

The most crucial step is to find the right partner to journey with you so that you can get there fast and securely. Once again, I am very glad to have such a supportive team and to have found a great partner with highly qualified experts in Straits Interactive. I would recommend their services to others.

Get started on the DPTM certification journey by reaching out to us via sales@straitsinteractive.com for more information!