Video consultations without visiting a store, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality services — today, retail networks go far beyond sales in shops. In this case study, we share how Agromat built a fault-tolerant IT infrastructure, launched AI-based services, and what telecom solutions have to do with it.
Agromat is a national retail chain founded in 1993. The company has over 30 stores across Ukraine.
In 2023, the team received several awards for its AI-based projects. Today, this leading retail network is powered by more than 1,500 employees.
From offline sales to AI and AR-based services
While offline stores were the core of the retail sector ten years ago, today, AI and augmented reality services are making customers’ lives easier. And the Agromat team has been successful in this domain.
You can choose tiles or plumbing fixtures for your home without leaving it. Thanks to an augmented reality service, customers can not only view the store’s offerings in real time, but also “try them out” in their own bathroom.
ViSoft AR is designed to change the way Ukrainian consumers imagine selecting tiles and plumbing fixtures. From now on, Agromat customers have a unique opportunity to check out different tiles in their house using just a smartphone. All they need to do is select the desired product and download the free ViSoft AR app. And just like that — the tile is projected to the walls of their home, explain Agromat’s IT department specialists.
Should any issues arise, a video consultant is available to answer all customer questions in real time. If you still need help after that, you can explore a section with ready-made interior design solutions developed by professional designers.
The steady work of all these digital and physical services requires dozens of IT systems. They are crucial for operating stores, warehouses, pick-up points, and customer service access to the corporate network.
How telecom services support Agromat during wartime
Most of Agromat’s IT infrastructure-related tasks are realized thanks to cloud technologies and telecom services such as uninterrupted internet, fault-tolerant data channels, and dark fiber.
In recent years, the Agromat team has rebuilt its IT infrastructure as a cloud-based one. This allows the company to scale up flexibly and to work reliably. But cloud services depend heavily on strong communication channels that give both employees and customers access to critical tools. Especially during blackouts. Every hour of website or store downtime could result in major financial losses.
Today, a successful and fault-tolerant business is hard to imagine without uninterrupted IT solutions. The Internet, data transmission channels, and cloud infrastructure are the foundation of any modern business, which ensures its 24/7 operation. As is for any retail business, downtime is critical at Agromat. Reliability is the key to keeping the company running, says Serhii Romanenko.
GigaTrans specialists connected Agromat’s retail locations to high-speed internet. And they provided two leased dark fiber channels as well. These services keep working even during power outages. They also enable fast communication between two client sites and a remote data center, and protect the infrastructure from unauthorized access.
Digitalization despite the war
Digitalization is now an unavoidable process, both in daily life and in business. As it relates to competitiveness, customer focus, and staying current.
But this process is also impossible without a reliable internet. That’s why the company relies on GigaTrans as a trusted IT partner.
When selecting a telecom provider, we focused on the reliability of connection channels, fast incident response, and a predictable time to resolution. We also paid attention to the ease of cooperation, that is, billing, the expertise of the team, and the simple willingness to solve the issue, comments Serhii Romanenko. These are the key reasons why we’ve been working with GigaTrans for over six years. And their reliability has been constantly proven throughout the years of war.