ECONT selects IBM public cloud to enhance customer experience and modernize operations
July 15, 2020 | Written by: IBM THINK Blog
Share this post:
Work will turn video data into insights in real time by leveraging the power of cloud technologies whilst protecting the video customers’ data
IBM announced that ECONT, one of the leading logistics services providers in Bulgaria with presence in Romania and Greece, implemented a new (centralized) video management system to the IBM public cloud to improve the customer experience for its cargo, postal and courier services it delivers to its e-commerce and individual customers and optimize its back-office processes.
Since its founding in 1993, ECONT has established as an expert in logistics aiming to constantly provide their customers with new and better services. It has been using a video management system across its 650 facilities to efficiently track the parcels and packages, protect the assets and manage claims effectively.
The video management system was decentralized, and each office hosted a DVR appliance that records the video data from several cameras locally on spinning drives. With more than 3,000 cameras at more than 650 locations, this setup was hard to manage centrally and there was a risk of loss of video recordings due to technical failures or malicious actions. Furthermore, due to requirements enforced by local law, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and security policies, ECONT has to keep all video records for certain period of time – placing a burden on its storage capacity.
ECONT needed a cost effective and scalable infrastructure to ensure compliance with the regulations and improve the manageability of the video management system and migrated its video management system to IBM public cloud. ECONT can now enable rapid video review and search, real-time alerting, and quantitative video insights from a centralized dashboard. Leveraging data from video footage allows ECONT to quickly identify and respond to potential risks or opportunities and ensuring their quality standards. For examples, ECONT can quickly track the parcels throughout their way from the dropping point to the handing over in their facilities and resolve any disputes. The personal data and privacy of the customers is also ensured with strict access control and anonymizing tools in the video management system provided as a service by IBM. In addition, by using IBM public cloud capabilities, ECONT is able to store all video certain period of time, which can increase efficiency in claim management.
„At the beginning we were using our video management system to ensure physical security but today in digital era, it was obvious that by utilizing new technologies like cloud computing we can get more out of our video investment while protecting both our customers and our assets.“, said Nikolay Sabev, Owner, ECONT. „To meet the growing demands of our customers for fast delivery and growing compliance requirements, we were looking for a platform where we can securely drive value from the data. With IBM public cloud, we achieved all our goals. We now have an infrastructure that is scalable, reliable, that is forward-looking and that comes with a set of IBM Services for implementation and support which are essential for us to build a sustainable solution. And that’s really what we found in IBM public cloud.”
“IBM is pleased to support ECONT on its journey to provide advanced services to its customers, states Igor Pravica, Country Leader, IBM Bulgaria. „By tapping into IBM public cloud, ECONT’s video is easy searchable, actionable and quantifiable. In addition, IBM high-performance cloud Bare Metal Servers are contributing to the data privacy of ECONT’s customers by full control and visibility. This is important area for IBM where the company has a long history of security and privacy leadership.“ added Pravica.
ECONT also applied a video management software Milestone Xprotect as a service provided by IBM, as well as IBM Support Services for the whole solution. IBM cloud infrastructure offered the most cost-effective solution and was deployed and integrated seamlessly with ECONT’s existing cameras and recording devices. Also, the bare metal feature is a unique offering that provides on-demand access to the right resources for the right workloads.
“Today video cameras are generating huge amount of data. Managing thousands of cameras is introducing significant challenge from IT perspective and cost efficiency is crucial. With IBM public cloud ECONT is able to provide video management as a service to its partners where all the costs are on monthly basis and directly related to the actual resources used. They have the flexibility and scalability needed and full control on the cost. Running the centralized video management system on IBM public cloud will give ECONT the possibility to capture value from petabytes of data using AI on a later stage.” Ivan Vulev, CTO, IBM Bulgaria.
About ECONT
For more than 20 years, we have been growing and developing so that we are useful to you. Since its founding in 1993, Econt has established as an expert in logistics in Bulgaria. Driven by our desire to offer added value, we are constantly providing you and your business with new and better solutions in the realm of courier, postal and cargo services.
For more information, visit https://www.econt.com/en/econt-express
About IBM Cloud
For more information, visit https://www.ibm.com/cloud/public
About Milestone
Milestone Systems is a leading provider of open platform video management software; technology that helps the world see how to ensure safety, protect assets, and increase business efficiency. Milestone enables an open platform community that drives collaboration and innovation in the development and use of network video technology, with reliable and scalable solutions that are proven in more than 500,000 installations worldwide. For more information please visit https://www.milestonesys.com/about-us/
Investing in our people, our partners and our locations
June 23, 2021 We have never lived in such an extraordinary age with monumental changes taking place over the last year. The extent of uncertainty and change everyone has dealt with in all aspects of their lives throughout the pandemic is unparalleled globally. I am so proud and continue to be inspired by how IBMers […]
Fairness and equality in the workplace is, in fact, decreasing. AI can help.
June 22, 2021 Recent studies show that despite all the effort, gender equality in the workplace is not only not advancing, but actually decreasing. This situation has been, indeed, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. A panel discussion with high level representatives from EU institutions, employers and governments from Central and Eastern Europe will address this […]
Circeo Joins Growing Ecosystem of Partners Supporting the IBM Cloud for Financial Services
Circeo Intends to Use IBM Cloud for Financial Services to Help Customers Accelerate Transactions with Financial Institutions in a Highly-Secured Environment June 16, 2021 Circeo, a European fintech and lending technology provider delivering a cloud-based lending solution for banks and financial services companies, today announced it has joined IBM’s (NYSE: IBM) growing ecosystem of more […]