Vistrada Cuts Audit Prep Time for Clients and Doubles Practice Growth with Apptega

Founded in 2006, Vistrada provides business, technology, and management services that help organizations improve operations, manage risk, and drive growth. By combining deep expertise with a flexible team model, Vistrada adapts quickly to client needs, delivering measurable results and long-term value.

One of Vistrada’s clients, a Department of Defense (DoD) contractor, spent nearly a year preparing for ISO audits, struggling with scattered spreadsheets and manual processes, as so many organizations do.

To simplify the process for the client, Vistrada turned to a platform it was already using to support its compliance services. By centralizing compliance efforts in Apptega, Vistrada helped the client speed up assessments, simplify reporting, and gain real-time progress visibility.  

As a result, the client achieved multiple ISO certifications with no major or minor non-conformities and cut audit preparation time by nearly 75%, from nearly a year down to just a few months. Because of these efficiencies, Vistrada has been able to double its practice year over year, increasing margins.

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Painful Processes and Untapped Potential

"They needed a scalable, easy-to-use platform that could support multiple frameworks, streamline reporting, and provide clear insight into their compliance status."

Vistrada’s client faced a significant challenge managing ISO certifications across multiple frameworks: ISO 27001, ISO 20000, and ISO 9001.  

“They were doing everything through spreadsheets,” said Matt Malone, director at Vistrada. “ISO certification was taking them almost an entire year of preparation and documentation. It was very, very painful.”  

Each audit required separate preparation, and without a centralized system, it was difficult to manage, and the risk of error was high.  

“They needed a scalable, easy-to-use platform that could support multiple frameworks, streamline reporting, and provide clear insight into their compliance status. We suggested they leverage a tool they already had at their disposal in the Apptega platform.”

As a Vistrada client, the DoD contractor’s team had access to Apptega but was only using it for basic tracking, leaving tons of functionality on the table. A management change created an opportunity to fully adopt the platform and rethink the company’s compliance workflows.

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Building a Centralized Compliance Program

"Apptega gave us the platform, and we built the procedures, policies, and effort around it. That combination is what drives success."

Vistrada moved its client’s compliance program entirely into Apptega, shifting from spreadsheets and disconnected files to a centralized platform that brings risk management, TPRM, and assessment evidence together in one place.  

“We built out ISO 27001 and added ISO 20000 and ISO 9001 as custom frameworks inside the platform, so they could manage all three certifications in one environment,” said Malone. “By building out the tasks and assigning them to groups, we can use them year over year, increasing efficiency over time. Everyone knows their roles and duties to prepare for an audit.

Vistrada also introduced its client to Apptega’s third-party risk management solution, feeding vendor risk directly into the client’s risk register for a more comprehensive view of threats and gaps.

Apptega’s multi-tenant design and dashboards aligned naturally with Vistrada’s workflows for assessments and reporting. And a once-underutilized tool became a comprehensive program that combines technology with partner-led services to create a sustainable compliance model.

“Apptega gave us the platform, and we built the procedures, policies, and effort around it. That combination is what drives success. Just having software isn’t enough. You need the framework and the accountability that goes with it.”

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The Results — Faster Audits, Zero Nonconformities, and Double the Practice Growth

“They were barely using Apptega at first, but once we made the push to move everything over, it paid them back in dividends. They’ve leaned into it all the way, and they’re seeing the benefits."

Paired with Vistrada’s guidance, Apptega’s impact on audit preparation and compliance management was immediate. A process that had previously taken the client nearly a year to complete was cut down to just a few months.

“This was the first year that we switched 100 percent to Apptega,” said Malone. “We were able to get the ISO 27001 certification with zero majors, zero minors, and zero nonconformities. We also did ISO 20000 and ISO 9001, and all three audits went well. The auditors loved the program.”

With Apptega, Vistrada can standardize delivery, enhance visibility, and scale its services efficiently across clients. Assessments are completed in weeks instead of months. And for clients like the DoD contractor, centralized operations improve efficiency and provide direct insight into compliance status and progress.

“They were barely using Apptega at first, but once we made the push to move everything over, it paid them back in dividends. They’ve leaned into it all the way, and they’re seeing the benefits. We’re looking forward to building on that foundation.”  

The client is now part of the process. They get measured and can report on where their compliance stands at any given time, adding a layer of visibility that didn’t exist for them before. And that visibility extends to other risk management activities and compliance frameworks that Vistrada helps the client manage.

“From the TPRM side, it ties into the risk manager. It ties into our current activities with certifications for CMMC, NIST 800-171, and ISO. It’s been a really robust program for the client.”

These efforts also created measurable business value for Vistrada by turning a resource-intensive process into an efficient, repeatable model that could be applied across clients.

“With the efficiencies gained through Apptega, we’ve been able to take on more clients with fewer people, doubling our practice growth each year while improving our margins,” said Malone. “And we plan on expanding our vCISO services by providing TPRM and risk management services through the platform.”