The rules of business correspondence have been improved for decades. With the advent of the digital age, it has become easier and more convenient to record agreements with important partners. Modern tools have simplified project management and communication with outsourced specialists. However, new risks have emerged related to the leakage of confidential information and cyber threats.

Specialists from Bitrix24 Kazakhstan, a leading developer of IT systems for businesses, conducted a survey among Kazakhstanis to find out which tools are most often used to work with partners, external specialists and contractors. The study also showed which innovative systems are most popular and how important agreements are fixed in modern Kazakhstani business.

It turned out that 78% of respondents record agreements with specialists outside the company or with business partners mostly verbally, by phone. E-mail correspondence is the main method of interaction for 14% of the respondents. Only 1% uses interactive services.

Kazakhstanis consider file and document sharing (51%), video conferencing and chat rooms (21%), and task management (12%) to be the most important tools for collaboration. Collaborative document editing and integration with other services are important for 8% of respondents.

For 47% of the respondents, violation of confidentiality and data security is the main risk when working with modern digital tools.

Only 14% of the respondents purchase paid extended versions and software licenses. 84% use free software, and 2% resort to "pirated" software and "hacked" versions.

The main difficulties Kazakhstanis face when working with third-party contractors and partners include connectivity issues (33%) and dissatisfaction with the functionality of current digital tools (33%). 10% and 17% of respondents worry about the insufficient user experience of external specialists and difficulties with access rights, respectively. The lack of functionality in Kazakh is the main difficulty for 6% of respondents.

37% are ready to refuse to work with a contractor if he does not use the tools convenient to the customer for joint work.

Interestingly, 31% do not record any agreements with contractors and partners after meetings. 37% make notes in their daily planner. 22% maintain a common protocol online (for example, in Google Docs), and only 10% use project management programs (Trello, Bitrix24 Collabs, etc.).

Summary: Large and medium-sized businesses in Kazakhstan are increasingly switching to modern platforms for communication and task management, ensuring data security and ease of use. However, the functionality of these solutions is not available when working with external contractors and partners. The old method of communication via e-mail is becoming less popular, as it does not allow for operational communication with counterparties.

Most respondents prefer unsecured ways of working with data, such as popular instant messengers. Due to the growing threat of cyber attacks, at the end of 2024, the Ministry of Digital Development proposed a draft order "On the approval of the professional standard for Cybersecurity Activities." This initiative is aimed at increasing the level of digital security in the labor market and reducing the number of hacks and data leaks.

Bitrix24 offered a solution for modern challenges in standards of work with external contractors. Collaborations are separate spaces for collaborative projects with external teams and clients within Bitrix24. They include a secure messenger, convenient task management, video calls, and a shared calendar.

The study was conducted by the Bitrix24 Kazakhstan online service in February 2025 among 1,000 respondents in all regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan.