In-House, Outsourced or Hybrid GSOC?

GSOC as a Service is a fully managed, outsourced security operations model that gives organisations 24/7 global threat monitoring, real-time traveller tracking, incident response, and intelligence analysis — without the capital cost or build time of an in-house GSOC. Providers deliver this through a subscription or retainer model, with full operational capability from day one and complete integration typically within three to four weeks.

A travel assistance company responds reactively when an incident is reported — it provides a helpline for activated incidents, with no visibility of travellers unless a case is open. A GSOC provides continuous, proactive 24/7 monitoring whether or not an incident has been declared, with live traveller location data, pre-travel intelligence, automated check-in, SOS capability, and coordinated incident response. The GSOC monitors, detects, escalates, and coordinates proactively. The assistance company waits to be contacted.

Due diligence on a managed GSOC provider should be structured across three tiers. Essential criteria, includes 24/7 analyst coverage with no gaps, a demonstrable global intelligence network, documented and tested incident response procedures, and ISO 27001 accreditation or equivalent for data handling. Important criteria includes integration capability with your existing travel management and HR systems, clear onboarding timelines with defined milestones, and named account management with escalation paths. Desirable criteria include experience in your specific operating regions or sectors, references from organisations of comparable size and risk profile, and the ability to support a hybrid model if you intend to develop internal capability in parallel. The full due diligence framework, tiered by Essential, Important, and Desirable, is included in the whitepaper.

The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but in the context of travel risk and corporate security they describe different scopes. A managed security operations centre (MSOC) typically refers to outsourced cybersecurity monitoring — network traffic analysis, threat detection, and SIEM management. An outsourced GSOC in the travel risk context is concerned with physical security: monitoring the safety of people on the move, tracking travellers in real time, providing intelligence on destination risk, and coordinating emergency response. Some providers now offer integrated models that combine physical and cyber monitoring, but if you are evaluating suppliers for duty of care and ISO 31030 compliance purposes, confirming that the provider’s GSOC covers physical and people risk, not just digital threats, is an important early question.

ISO 31030:2021 requires organisations to demonstrate that travel decisions are based on their capacity to treat risk. Top management must take and demonstrate ownership of the organisation’s travel risks. The standard covers four stages: scoping and risk criteria, the travel risk management process, journey and operational management, and recording and reporting. Key requirements include 24/7 traveller communication and emergency access, proactive risk identification, documented and exercised incident response procedures, lawful processing of traveller personal data, and a complete audit trail. Mental health is explicitly within scope under ISO 31030 7.4.9.

With an outsourced GSOC, core monitoring and response capability is live from contract. Full operational integration — platform configuration to your protocols, traveller data feeds, HR system integration, and analyst briefing on your specific risk environment — typically takes three to four weeks. This compares to 12–18 months for an organisation with an existing security function but no dedicated monitoring, and 24–36 months for an organisation building a GSOC from a standing start.

The right model depends on your travel volume, risk profile, available talent, budget structure, and urgency. Building in-house delivers deep organisational integration but takes 18–36 months and requires significant capital investment. Outsourcing delivers immediate capability with lower upfront cost and proven resilience. A hybrid model through using an outsourced GSOC from day one while developing internal capability in parallel is increasingly common. Solace Global’s whitepaper provides an impartial framework for making this decision, aligned to ISO 31030:2021.

Solace Secure is Solace Global’s ISO 27001-accredited travel security platform, providing real-time alerts, itinerary tracking, live location monitoring, SOS capability, geofencing, and two-way mass communication. It integrates with leading travel management platforms and underpins the GSOC as a Service model. For ISO 31030 compliance, Solace Secure provides the automated recordkeeping, incident logging, programme metrics, and audit trail required by ISO 31030 10 — supporting organisations in demonstrating duty of care to leadership, auditors, and insurers.