Case Study: International SOS unlocks microservices with identity management

Identity has been core to the digital transformation journey for health and security risk services company International SOS.

At Okta’s identity event Oktane22 in San Francisco last week Digital Nation Australia spoke to Raj Govindasamy, senior director core digital platforms at International SOS about the organisation’s five-year transformation program, of which the business is in its fourth year.

According to Govindasamy International SOS chose to work with Okta after a “rigorous evaluation”.

“One of our biggest problems as being a processor of large travel data and personal information, the key is to have an identity for a person,” said Govindasamy.

“One person typically has multiple identities within our organisation so its impossible for us to get a single view, a seamless experience when it comes to accessing our products. So, Okta changed all of that.”

International SOS now has 95 percent of its products powered by Okta with single sign on.

The single login allows users to sign onto multiple products that are integrated across the product suite he said.

“That empowers us significantly because we can now build microservices too because we can build a feature as a product, instead of a product containing a bunch of features, which actually takes you away from the agility,” said Govindasamy.

Single sign on allows the business to fix problems he said.

“It's like a brick-based building. If a brick falls, pick that up brick and fix it, put it back.”

The microservices that International SOS has been able to offer to customers includes a mobile app with a travel checklist, risk assessments, certification requirements and vaccinations, with updates being sent to customers via SMS.

According to Govindasamy, this wouldn’t be possible without single sign on.

“Behind the scenes when we are targeting to send an SMS, we are looking at your profile to find out the accuracy of your profile, the correctness of the information and your email address. Is it a verified email address? Is it a verified phone number?

"We verify your phone number through SMS verification and you register yourself. So, we know that you are the owner of the phone number right so are receiving the alert.”

The key drivers for the organisation’s digital transformation journey are customer experience and engagement, and according to Govindasamy from an identity management perspective the improved quality of data has provided better insights for customers.

Velvet-Belle Templeman travelled to San Francisco to attend Oktane22 as a guest of Okta.