At a glance
Northwinds, the exclusive IT provider for three Delta Dental state plans, needed a way to keep up with a relentless volume of questionnaires and security reviews across a uniquely complex, multi-owner environment. They chose TrustCloud for AI-accelerated questionnaires that also integrate with a comprehensive GRC platform across TrustShare, TrustRegister, and TrustLens. The result is faster responses, junior analysts taking the lead, self-service for stakeholders, and a product partnership that turns feedback into releases at lightning speed.
- Use cases: Security questionnaires with an AI-driven knowledge library, customer assurance via TrustShare, risk register in TrustRegister, and vendor reviews in TrustLens. These capabilities replaced email back and forth with structured, trackable workflows.
- Why TrustCloud: Context-aware answers by owner and platform, plus a product team that ships requested enhancements while assessments are in flight.
- Impact: Noticeably faster response times, junior analysts “grab it, plug it in, let it run,” owners and their customers self-serve documents, and senior time shifts to strategy.
About NorthWinds Technology Solutions
NorthWinds Technology Solutions builds modern insurance technology that simplifies dental claims and improves day-to-day operations for insurers. Founded in 2019, the company has grown to more than 300 IT professionals worldwide and develops turnkey solutions that help reduce costs, improve workflows, and increase productivity for Delta Dental member companies and other insurance partners.
The customer is the hero
When three separate Delta Dental owners all funnel questionnaires to the same small team, even the same questions in different forms can snowball. Northwinds’ governance and risk group needed leverage, something that would reduce cycle time and grow team capacity without piling on process debt.
Rob tells it plainly:
“We still get the same number of questionnaires, but because our library is built up, it has really cut down on the response time. If we get a couple of questions via email and we do not know the answer, we can ask the knowledge library and get moving.”
Just as importantly, the tool had to fit Northwinds’ reality, three owners, several platforms, and different answers depending on who is asking.
“While they are all Delta Dental state plans, they operate as completely separate entities. We need to answer depending on who it is and which company it is coming from. TrustShare lets us differentiate which part of the knowledge library to use and which set of questions to reference, and it keeps track of it.”
Choosing TrustCloud as the guide
Northwinds initially went shopping for just a trust portal tool that could handle questionnaires. What changed the trajectory was discovering the rest of the platform and realizing its full capability for GRC management and that it already handled their multi-entity complexity.
“The ones we were considering were just questionnaire response tools. When we looked at TrustCloud and realized there was all that other functionality, that is what really drew us in. The key part for us is how easily TrustCloud deals with knowing which client and which platform. It was already there with tagging and creating separate companies.”
The team did not stop at questionnaires. They stood up TrustShare so owners and their customers could self-serve bridge letters, reports, and policies. TrustShare became the first stop instead of the first email.
“They are able to come in, grab a bridge letter, a report, a policy, whatever they need, instead of emailing us and waiting.”
What changed in practice
Here is the through-line before the details. Northwinds engineered leverage. With TrustCloud as the backbone, they shifted work left to the knowledge library and TrustShare, and shifted skills up by letting junior analysts lead.
- Speed and leverage: Junior analysts take on more of the workload using the library before escalating. “They can grab it, plug it in, let it run, then come to me for clarification. That frees up my time, and they learn our environment faster.”
- Fewer emails, more self-service: Owners now point customers to TrustShare first, which reduces what trickles down to the governance team.
- Risk register that adapts mid-assessment: Rob updates, notes, and exports directly from TrustRegister. “I sent a couple of requests to the team, and they said the changes would be quick. The speed at which changes get made and implemented is really nice.”
A product team that actually ships
This is a constant theme in the discussion with Rob.
TrustCloud does not just take notes. It turns them into a product. Innovates fast and responds to customers needs in a way that makes them a real partner not just a software provider.
“We have seen a real quick turnaround with enhancements to the platform. With vendor management, we gave feedback last year and it is obvious they took that and revamped it. This year they are already working on the next set, and it is coming back to us during the cycle.”
“Sometimes they bring our team onto a call with engineers so we can walk through what we want. You can tell they take that in, take it back, and work on it. It has been great to see.”
“The speed of the response when we have an issue or want to see something different is what really catches our eye and makes us want to stick with it. I had almost given up on finding a GRC platform that was actually usable. Having TrustCloud keep up with our requests and make enhancements as we request them has been eye-opening. I have never worked with a company that responds this quickly to product feedback.”
Rob’s summary of the partnership lands the point.
“TrustCloud sits in the middle with the resources to make changes and the desire to do them, and to continually improve the system. It is refreshing to work with a platform and a company that is continually innovating, values our input, and takes action on it.”
Products in play and why they matter
Northwinds did not bolt on point tools. They consolidated on a platform where each piece strengthens the others.
- AI and Knowledge Library for questionnaires: The system learns from historical questionnaires and documentation, so formal RFPs and ad-hoc questions move quickly and consistently. “It has cut down on the response time significantly and our team is happier and focused on strategic business needs.”
- TrustShare for customer assurance: A living source of truth for owners and customers, so email becomes the exception. Bridge letters, SOC reports, and policies are available on demand.
- TrustRegister for risk: “It is easy to update and export,” with quick product tweaks landing during an active assessment.
TrustLens for vendor reviews: Evolved with Northwinds’ feedback, including sender controls and reply routing. It arrived in time for this year’s monitoring cycle.
Results you can feel day to day
In one line, Northwinds bought time and reinvested it in people and programs. The bullets below summarize what that looks like during real work.
- Noticeably faster responses to customer questionnaires and ad-hoc asks, powered by the knowledge library.
- Junior analysts take the reins and Rob steps in as needed, which frees senior time for strategic work.
- Owners and customers self-serve in TrustShare, so requests resolve upstream and email volume drops.
Rob’s favorite part is the compounding effect on capability.
“They can do more questionnaires faster, get accurate feedback, and learn our controls in real time. I have been mostly hands-off for the last year because people were able to take the reins.”
Looking ahead, governing AI and new tech
Northwinds’ next priority is a formal repository for AI and emerging technology reviews. They want to track requests, decisions, evidence, and re-review dates because the demand curve resembles questionnaires from a few years ago.
“There is a huge push to get new technology into everyday use. It falls on us to dot the i’s and cross the t’s. Being able to have a repository for what was asked, the answers, and when to review again is our biggest priority.”
This effort naturally connects to vendor oversight, and the team plans to keep the work within TrustCloud, so the records and reviews are kept together.
