Success factors for data protection in services and support roles: combining traditional interviews with delphi method

The transformation of today’s information and communications technology (ICT) firms requires the services and support organizations to think differently about customers data protection. Data protection represents one of the security and privacy areas considered to be the next “blue ocean” in leveraging the creation of business opportunities. Based in contemporary literature, the authors conducted a two phases’ qualitative methodology - the expert’s interviews and Delphi method to identify and rank 12 factors on which service and support professionals should follow in their daily tasks to ensure customer data protection: 1) Data classification, 2) Encryption, 3) Password protection, 4) Approved tools, 5) Access controls, 6) How many access data, 7) Testing data, 8) Geographic rules, 9) Data retention, 10) Data minimization, 11) Escalating issues, and 12) Readiness and training. This paper contribute to the growing body of knowledge of data protection filed. The authors provide directions for future work for practitioners and researchers.