The choice of software and platform solutions designed to take the stress out of daily business operations or improve customer experience is dizzying. Investment in any product or service requires due diligence, and the same can be said when exploring your options for a Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) provider.
The benefits of CIAM are numerous, and by selecting the right provider you’re future-proofing your business and it’s growth, as it evolves to meet the needs of your customers.
Savvy consumers who are now increasingly aware of the value of their data and security settings, want an experience that warrants them relinquishing important details. So selecting the right CIAM solution is a vital step in your CIAM implementation strategy.
Here’s a snapshot of core capabilities you should be looking for in a CIAM provider. For a deeper, more comprehensive overview of everything you need to know about CIAM, check out the free download from ClearPoint partner Okta, a leading CIAM solution provider.
When choosing a modern CIAM solution, you should be looking for all of the basic capabilities and a decent selection of advanced features that are easy to configure and fast to deploy. Developer-friendly tools such as application programme interfaces (APIs) and software development kits (SDKs), should come as standard. You should also look for a solution that provides no-code connectors to allow teams to build automated workflows without having to write custom code.
Advanced features like User Management means your developers can manage your users, groups and devices in a scalable cloud-based user store. While an intuitive centralised administration interface that allows you to manage security policies centrally, will provide additional security and peace of mind.
Furthermore, it is worthwhile considering B2B integration to partner apps and portals. Integration to legacy software and platforms provides an additional bonus – by leveraging the best solutions from your tech stack, you have the ability to extend your CIAM capabilities and pass the benefits onto your customers.
While the impact on your engineering team is important and crucial to successful implementation, it’s also vital that you put your customer in the picture first and foremost. CIAM enables you to build a better view of the customer, while providing them with a seamless experience across every channel. Any modern solution should enable you to capture relevant data and enable the customer to create a profile with ease.
Progressive profiling removes the lengthy registration process to get started with your product or service, by collecting user information incrementally on the customer journey. High on your list should be features that minimise the amount of information collected during the registration process; fewer or no passwords across your channels and customer devices, and personalised branded customisation to help build your customers’ confidence and trust in your business.
A great example of seamless authentication is via social media logins using OpenID Connect (OIDC) support, which gives users the choice of sharing basic information required for registration, rather than filling in forms manually.
Additional advanced features might also include Multi-Factor authentication (MFA) and adaptive MFA. This offers basic support from email to text, to TouchID and FaceID. Furthermore, adaptive MFA provides an intelligent layer of authentication that is only enforced when needed – such as based on location and device for example.
A seamless UX travels beyond authentication. A modern solution will also include automated provisioning and workflows corresponding to your customer lifecycle, providing users with apps and features across your tech stack based on where they are in their journey.
When investing in a modern CIAM platform, you’re investing in a service, not simply a product that plugs into your tech stack. You should look for a solution that is built on an independent, open and neutral platform that can be securely built upon, while leveraging any technology you want. As your business grows, so will your end users and your platform should evolve with you.
Investing in the future will enable you to plug in the best tools in the market based on your needs at the time. Your CIAM solution should provide a haul of pre-built integrations with core applications and services such as:
Scalability, reliability and security are key markers when investing in a partner, but it’s a worthwhile exercise ensuring you have your own roadmap laid out to provide you a picture of what the future might look like, while examining the agility of any solution on the table. This might include end-to-end security, or the ability to support authentications at scale and mass, or encryption technology that meets the highest industry standards.
In addition to security, keeping up to date with compliance and regulatory requirements should be high on your priority list, given the speed of change and volume of needs that have to be met during the customer lifecycle. As technology innovates and customer needs continue to change, your partner should be by your side supporting you with security, regulatory requirements and more.
A CIAM solution is an essential tool that can improve your bottom line and provide a competitive advantage. Your selected solution provider should provide you with the idea of what’s possible and how they would deliver / plan / fix / innovate, with the unique needs of your organisation.
Fill in your details and download the full 45 page CIAM for Dummies guide by ClearPoint partner Okta – packed with the essentials that enable you and your organisation to get the best out of a CIAM provider.
Want to provide a seamless digital experience for your customers and colleagues? Talk to our team about selecting the best solution provider for your business and gain insight into Okta as CIAM solutions.