ICL Services improves the quality of the service provided by applying the Lean practice

Kazan, Russia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/24/2020 -- The world around us is changing rapidly. The conventional working practices may stop yielding the desired results one day. And the quality of service, which once seemed incredible, eventually becomes commonplace.

To keep up with the changing customer needs, the company ICL Services uses Lean practices, focused on creating value for the customer, continuous quality improvement of the provided services, and elimination of waste.

Lean Methodology Principles Applied at ICL Services

1. Involve each employee in the company's business operations, in the continuous improvement process, all the while providing the environment of trust and transparency.

2. Learn from experience, completing real-world tasks, together with your colleagues.

3. Standardize, document current best practices as standards and keep them up to date.

4. Understand customer needs, select team performance indicators which reflect customer requests. Make the employees aware of the value they create for the customer.

5. Visualize, bring the invisible into view. Focus the team's attention on the aspects of the service which are important to the customers.

6. Eliminate waste of time and resources in the activities performed.

7. Measure the workflow performance. Focus on those performance indicators which are within the team's reach. See the direct connection between the customer needs and the performance results.

One may claim that the continuous improvement culture is truly being instilled and maintained only while adhering to these principles in one's work on a daily basis.

ICL Services actively uses Lean principles in the work of the technical support, which helps to improve the quality of the support team work and increase customer satisfaction

About ICL Services
ICL Services is a large system integrator (member of the ICL group of companies), providing a full range of services on domestic and international markets. The company employs more than 2,000 workers who successfully interact with more than 80 clients from 30 countries around the world, providing IT services 24 hours 7 days a week in Russian, English, French and German. ICL Services offices are located in Kazan, Moscow, Voronezh, Vladivostok and Belgrade (Serbia).

www.icl-services.com

Additional information for the media:

e-mail: arina.vasilieva@icl-services.com
tel .: 8 (800) 333-98-70

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

ASNA, the largest federal organization with more than 10,000 drugstores, in 2017 installed 50 infomats in its drugstores. The scope of maintenance was too large for the manufacturer and it offered ICL Services to maintain the sensor kiosks

Kazan, Russia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/21/2020 -- ICL Services maintains ASNA terminals: installs, puts into operation, repairs, monitors their condition, consults the users, and solves problems remotely.

CHALLENGE
ASNA is the largest federal organization with more than 10,000 drugstores. In 2017 the association installed 50 infomats in its drugstores and launched a new pilot project for the installation of new version equipment a year later. The scope of maintenance was too large for the manufacturer and it offered ICL Services to maintain the sensor kiosks.

IMPLEMENTED OUR SOLUTION

What are the infomats capable of?
Infomat is an interactive service terminal. The visitors of the drugstores can use it:
- to check the cost and availability of drugs;
- to get the information on the promotions and discounts;
- to read the instructions;
- to compare with the analogs and make orders.

In addition, all smart-kiosks are equipped with a wide-angle camera and facial recognition system, which count the visitors and determine their gender and age. The infomat also offers relevant content and shows targeted advertising videos.

The terminals help shorten the queues at drugstores, make the visitors acquainted with the new products, and advertise the commodities. The on-line service requires the uninterrupted equipment operation, therefore ASNA has chosen a company experienced in maintenance.

As of the beginning of 2020, ICL Services maintains about 300 information kiosks all over Russia: from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok.

Remote and on-site maintenance

Service Desk is the first line of support. The operators monitor the functionality of the whole equipment every morning. In case of detection of any malfunctions, an expert performs the troubleshooting remotely via TeamViewer or calls the drugstore and solves the problem together with an employee.

If a problem can't be solved remotely the Service Desk operator transfers the request to the field engineers via the Snaryad system. The systems tracks the request status: the engineer registers the time of WSO acceptance, time of departure, and time of arrival to the site.

A team of field engineers are working all-over Russia and react to the incidents: they come to the drugstores and solve all problems within 27 business hours.

The replacement equipment and spare parts are stored at the warehouses of ICL Services.

In addition to the work with the incidents, the maintenance experts update the software of the kiosks. The customer requested the modernization of the old terminals in 2019. The system architects developed the new uniform software and the engineers equipped the old infomats with video cameras and additional RAM-cards.

We provide the uninterrupted operation of terminals
An expert is always present at Service Desk; he processes or transfers any request to the field engineers within 90 minutes. The requests come to a separate e-mail or by phone. The SLA level meets the criteria approved by the customer.

Service Desk experts keep a log of requests in the ITSM-system and the field engineers register the real causes of requests and the troubleshooting measures taken. The customer can always get the information on what is going on at each site. The achieved results and the plans are discussed with ASNA every week and the control reviews are carried out every month.

RESULTS

ICL Services provides the uninterrupted operation of information kiosks Thanks to it the infomats work without faults and show the advertisement to the drugstore visitors and the customers always get the necessary information on the drugs and can make an order.

The maintenance team maintained 80 kiosks at the start and by 2020 their number has reached 300. ASNA is developing and considering new opportunities while ICL Services is ready to help.

About ICL Services
ICL Services is a large system integrator (member of the ICL group of companies), providing a full range of services on domestic and international markets. The company employs more than 2,000 workers who successfully interact with more than 80 clients from 30 countries around the world, providing IT services 24 hours 7 days a week in Russian, English, French and German. ICL Services offices are located in Kazan, Moscow, Voronezh, Vladivostok and Belgrade (Serbia).

www.icl-services.com

Additional information for the media:
e-mail: arina.vasilieva@icl-services.com
tel .: 8 (800) 333-98-70

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Managing company of SEZ “Innopolis” helps create comfort for city residents. The company planned to increase the efficiency of its IT service, improve the maturity of processes and determine the optimal structure of the IT department. To realise this goal, they contacted ICL Services.

Kazan, Russia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/21/2020 -- Managing company of SEZ "Innopolis" helps create comfort for city residents. It manages all facilities, supplies heat, water and electricity. For this, the company's IT infrastructure should work completely and efficiently. The IT department maintains servers, presentation and other high-end equipment used in events with the participation of top officials.

The original IT infrastructure was built correctly, but like in any other company, there were nuances. For example, redundancy was not ensured for all equipment, and the documentation was not updated. Moreover, some IT professionals were overloaded with non-core work.

The company planned to increase the efficiency of its IT service, improve the maturity of processes and determine the optimal structure of the IT department. To realise this goal, they contacted ICL Services. Our experts conducted an audit of the IT infrastructure, as well as the customer's IT structure and management system.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

1. To improve IT service efficiency and customer process maturity.

2. To determine the optimal structure of the IT department.

IMPLEMENTED OUR SOLUTION

1. We studied the documentation and interviewed key users.

The project commenced in September 2019. To clarify wishes and identify pressing issues, the system architect and the business architect of ICL Services prepared questionnaires.

After that, experts requested all regulatory documents: job descriptions, a staffing table, work, executive, design documentation. Due to personnel changes in the IT service, those needed to be updated.

To assess the quality of IT support and the current situation, ICL Services specialists conducted several interviews with key users — heads of business units and IT department employees.

2. We performed an audit of the IT infrastructure.

After the interview, the customer provided remote access to the components and subsystems of their IT infrastructure. The audit covered:

- server infrastructure and virtualization system;
- storage and data backup systems;
- local area network (LAN);
- control and monitoring system;
- database management system;
- TV and video broadcasting system;
- CCTV system;
- enterprise information systems;
- unified communications, email and anti-virus systems.

The audit also included basic infrastructure services: a directory service, a key management service, an exact time service, a domain name resolution service, and similar services. The audit did not cover low-current systems, ACS, workstations and the project management office.

Over four weeks, ICL Services specialists described and discussed with the customer processes and subsystems with current elements and configurations, as well as formulated recommendations for troubleshooting and reducing risks.

3. Provision of recommendations

ICL Services experts have made dozens of recommendations that will help the customer manage IT processes, use resources efficiently, as well as reduce the risks of unstable equipment operation and data loss.

First of all, we suggested several essential steps for the basic organization of the IT service: in particular, to implement Service Desk with an ITSM system and initial ITIL processes for incidents and access requests.

Consultations on ITIL methodologies and incident management were held.

ICL Services specialists revised the existing job descriptions. At the request of the customer, they also provided templates of regulatory documents and backup and emergency response plans. Thanks to these documents, the customer can distribute the roles of employees more efficiently, set performance indicators and milestones.

A number of recommendations were also made regarding the components of IT infrastructure to increase the efficiency of the use of computing resources and reduce the risks of unstable equipment operation, unavailability of services, unauthorized access, data loss, confidential information theft and malware infection.

As a result, the customer received recommendations and document templates that will help eliminate issues in the management system, determine the structure and staffing of the IT department, as well as increase the efficiency of the IT service. The company has accepted the proposals brought forward by ICL Services specialists and implements them in their activity.

A comprehensive audit of the IT infrastructure and the management system of the IT service helps to get a systematic look at bottlenecks and offer solutions that take into account the interaction of the subsystems and the current level of maturity of IT process management. ICL Services specialists not only present the best practices in the industry, but also select those that are suitable for the requirements and tasks of the customer.

Within the framework of system integration, ICL Services offers a full range of services — from consulting and auditing to design and implementation, from operation and support to employee training.

RESULTS

Following the results of the audit, the customer received:

1. A report with dozens of recommendations that will help them manage IT processes, use resources efficiently, as well as reduce the risks of unstable equipment operation and data loss.

2. A document base for effective management of IT employees.

3. A ready work plan to eliminate bottlenecks in the management system, which will help to determine the structure and staffing of the IT department, as well as increase the efficiency of the IT service.

About ICL Services
ICL Services is a large system integrator (member of the ICL group of companies), providing a full range of services on domestic and international markets. The company employs more than 2,000 workers who successfully interact with more than 80 clients from 30 countries around the world, providing IT services 24 hours 7 days a week in Russian, English, French and German. ICL Services offices are located in Kazan, Moscow, Voronezh, Vladivostok and Belgrade (Serbia).

www.icl-services.com

Additional information for the media:
e-mail: arina.vasilieva@icl-services.com
tel .: 8 (800) 333-98-70

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Three ICL Services' innovations in the service delivery process which are connected with the automation of works performed by the company's employees.

Kazan, Russia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/21/2020 -- ICL Services provides a wide range of IT services to businesses. In 2018, in order to optimize this process and reduce the cost of proposed solutions without compromising their quality, a new Delivery Excellence division was created within the company. The main task set before this department is finding potential areas for improvement. One of these ideas was the automation of some works performed by the company's employees in the course of providing services to customers.

Incident Management

In order to automate the distribution of tasks within service projects, the company's experts have created an automatic smart assistant (ASA). Initially, it was used for distributing incidents. Previously, the function of a project coordinator was carried out either by individual employees or passed to engineers. Upon receipt of the request, the employee determined the appropriate team to refer it to. The next step was to appoint a performer within this team, having previously analyzed their workload and availability. At the end, the performer received a ticket and a relevant notification in the system.

The manual distribution of incidents was quite a routine and time-consuming task that resulted in a lot of negative feedback from colleagues. The team members of Delivery Excellence decided to find a way to automate this operation. A similar solution was already implemented on one of the company's projects. Subsequently, it was implemented in two more projects to conduct a full-fledged pilot test. In the spring of 2019, the first automated smart assistant was launched. After presenting the results of the pilot phase in front of the company's management, the solution began to be applied on other projects. Presently, there are 6 of those.

In automatic routing of requests by a smart assistant, the availability of a specialist and their competence in solving such issues are taken into account. An engineer's workload is assessed through instant messengers (for example, Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams, and others), which show the status (available/absent) of an individual employee. The ASA receives this current status via the messenger's API and makes a decision about their availability and readiness to start solving problems in a prompt manner.

The level of expertise of an individual engineer is determined on the basis of a number of parameters, e. g. the amount of work performed by an employee within 24 hours, the percentage of the working day that a specialist must spend on solving requests or incidents. The assistant also considers whether this engineer has previously worked on this request or incident.

Taking these factors into account allows the system to transfer the task to the most qualified and accessible specialist, thereby significantly reducing the time for solving the issue.

On large projects, up to 100 tickets are submitted daily. Previously, it took about 5 minutes to coordinate each of them. On average, it took employees up to 8 hours a day to distribute all incidents. After automating the work of the incident coordinator, the time of response to incidents and requests was reduced by 82%, and the time to resolve incidents – by 33%. As a result, the employees could focus on solving strategic tasks.

Change Management

Following the successful implementation of the automatic coordinator, colleagues began to contact Delivery Excellence to automate some of the tasks performed by their employees. One of the first was a request to automate handling of change tasks that involve changing the configuration of the IT infrastructure, the user's workplace, etc. This functionality is similar to incident coordination — basically, you need to distribute tasks related to change requests.

The case was accepted for development; the Delivery Excellence team assessed the possible results and the potential effect of the implementation. Subsequently, this solution was successfully applied and implemented. Now, in addition to incident management, a stage in another ITIL process, change management, has been automated.

The ASA solution has not only shortened the lifecycle of change requests, but also made it possible to maximize the potential of the company's employees. Currently, the ASA helps reduce labor costs of coordination of incidents and requests by 5%.

Knowledge Management

Further expansion of the ASA functionality involved the development of smart prompts that pop up in front of the engineer distributing requests. When assigning a ticket, not only a description of the task is displayed — the system also provides a number of smart prompts: similar tickets that were resolved earlier, open changes and possible issues related to this ticket, tickets that were submitted earlier by the same user or for the given configuration item, and so on. The prompts are based on the data accumulated in the ITSM system currently. We search for similar tickets and collect statistics from the ITSM system using the established logic. Previously, the engineer had to look for comparable issues and requests through the slow ITSM-system interface. At present, the smart assistant groups and displays these items to the engineer as separate sections which reduces the time for processing a ticket.

Thus, the current ASA solution not only coordinates tasks efficiently, but also helps specialists via a recommendations system, analyzes emergency situations and incidents, and contributes to the compilation of Knowledge Base for the quick resolution of similar incidents and user requests.

ASA Current and Expected Functionality

ASA is a multifunctional solution based on modern machine learning technologies that performs the following tasks:

- text analysis of user requests or incidents;

- classification of the received requests and their referral to the most available and competent engineer for subsequent resolution;

- notification of engineers about ITSM events, new assignments, expiring SLAs and other changes via the chatbots. For example, a bot can track pending/expiring tickets and inform the engineer (e. g. via Skype) about the need to update the ticket. At the same time, the engineer does not need to log in the ITSM system, they can respond directly to the bot, and, based on this dialog, the bot will make necessary entries in the incident log.

- recommendation of solutions based on the history of resolved issues etc.

Due to partial automation of tasks using a smart assistant, the provision of services at ICL Services is currently of a hybrid nature, since both employees and an ITSM assistant (AI, bot) are involved in this process. At the same time, this solution is being developed further; its functionality is gradually expanding. A number of ASA tasks are under development/implementation. Among them are: automatic trend analysis, automation of resolution of service requests, decision support, etc. The plans include further automation of solutions, in particular, the creation of fully automatic solutions for handling and intelligent grouping of incidents.

Despite the existence of a universal recommendations for working with ITIL and machine learning technologies (for example, White Paper from Axelos regarding ITIL 4) which sets the areas of work in Service Desk and information security, they are mostly generalized guidelines. ICL Services has developed its own approach to further improvement of the smart assistant functionality. Task definition starts with ideas put forward by end users — the employees providing services. Voicing their own wishes and problems, they set the direction and contribute to the formation of a holistic ecosystem of smart assistants around our services.

Conclusion

With the advent of modern technology, tasks that once were performed by humans are now being delegated to machines. One of these tools is a smart assistant that allows automating some of the tasks in the employee's area of responsibility and redirecting the freed-up resources to service improvement. This solution is of particular importance in the context of the global trend towards business digitalization.

The solutions that support ITIL processes are not a know-how; they are already available on the market. Among the world leaders, for example, is the ITSM system developed by Almond and ServiceNow. However, those are mostly high-priced out-of-the-box solutions. The ASA's niche in the global IT solutions market is determined by the flexibility and adaptability of the toolkit, as well as by its economic efficiency. When choosing ML tools, it is necessary to strike a balance between the operating costs of the solution and the required quality of ML models. In the process of ASA development, ICL Services experts use both simple and complex ML models depending on the task at hand. In some cases, the use of most common ML libraries and systems that are undemanding of computing resources helps reduce operating costs.

The importance of the smart assistant is also increasing due to the possibility of its customization for specific tasks. The solution is not tied to specific ITSM systems and can be installed both at the customer's data centers (DC) and in popular cloud environments. This ensures efficient handling of personalized requests within a framework of a particular service.

The ASA solution also saves over 3,200 hours of employees' time. The ASA coordinates over 150,000 service requests and incidents per year. More than 100 solution recommendations are issued daily.

About ICL Services
ICL Services is a large system integrator (member of the ICL group of companies), providing a full range of services on domestic and international markets. The company employs more than 2,000 workers who successfully interact with more than 80 clients from 30 countries around the world, providing IT services 24 hours 7 days a week in Russian, English, French and German. ICL Services offices are located in Kazan, Moscow, Voronezh, Vladivostok and Belgrade (Serbia).

www.icl-services.com

Additional information for the media:
e-mail: arina.vasilieva@icl-services.com
tel .: 8 (800) 333-98-70

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Lilia Mingaleeva, Head of the Human Resources Operations Department at ICL Services, explains how HR expenses can be redistributed in a situation of uncertainty and crisis

Kazan, Russia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/21/2020 -- The primary mission of the HR department of any company is to maintain a well-functioning and efficient team. Currently, it means bolstering the staff's confidence in the future. But how can this mission be reconciled with budget cuts, all but inevitable in a situation of uncertainty and crisis? Lilia Mingaleeva, Head of the Human Resources Operations Department at ICL Services, explains how HR expenses can be redistributed.

ICL Services is a major system integrator. It has 2,000+ employees and eight offices in Russia and abroad. The HR Department is responsible for recruitment and onboarding, performance review and motivation, internal communications, employee training and related processes.

Conventionally, the HR budget is comprised of three large components: payroll budget, budget for employee training and development, and operating HR budget (covering the rest of the expenditure categories from recruiting to office parties). Initially, the budget for a year was drawn up, later on, earlier it took place twice a year, more recently — every three months. This allows for better budget management in a dynamic environment.

A pandemic is not just a change of environment, it's "a black swan". It didn't take us long to realise that nobody knows how events would unfold in the long term (no-one knew, really). However, in just two weeks, ICL Services managed to transfer 90% of the employees to remote work and ensure prompt response to the daily inflow of the Government decisions (particularly, those imposing lockdown). The HR budget has been revised appropriately as well.

First of all, plans were reviewed and selected those that could be implemented remotely and those that could not (meaning that company had to scrap them or change their format). In the face of uncertainty, several scenarios were elaborated:

- The optimistic scenario was based on the previously approved HR budget for 2020.

- The realistic scenario involved amendments in response to the changed conditions (the motto was, "everything essential is done but not overdone").

- The moderately pessimistic scenario was formulated as follows: "the customary is abandoned in favour of the critically important."

- The worst-case scenario included "the bare minimum needed for the business to survive". Company hasn't yet developed the latter in detail; hopefully, it won't have to.

The feature specific to the IT industry is the qualified personnel everyone lines up to hire. It's not an "employer-driven market" but rather a "candidate-driven market". And this defines the boundaries ICL Services navigatess: unlike at some other companies, it is crucial to maintain the budget for the key HR expenditure categories at the level to which the employees are accustomed. If the situation was different, company's way of approaching the budget reallocation would be different as well.

So, to sum up, what has been adjusted? First and foremost, those expenditure items that are technically impossible under lockdown.

1. Corporate events: 50% reduction for the 2nd and 3rd quarters.

In 2019, 200+ events were hold. The most expensive ones were the company's summer anniversary celebrations held at regional offices (Kazan, Moscow, Voronezh, Vladivostok, and Belgrade). Mass events are currently banned in this country - not that company is going to hold them anyway. First, they pose a certain risk to the employees' health. Second, many employees will choose not to attend for fear of infection.

Rewarding the best employees according to the year-end performance review has been switched to a different format: the director will congratulate the winners in a special address but their awards will be waiting for them at their workplaces — those will be the first things they will see on their first working day after the lockdown is lifted and the remote work mode is over. In doing so, company has cut down expenses by skipping the official part and saved on renting and catering.

Naturally, some of the activities related to sports (sports grounds rental, taking part in marathons, running courses) and environment protection (planting trees together, lake clean-ups) are not in demand now. Company is going to return to them in the second half of the year.

Some events have not been waived, for example, giving presents to the retired employees on Victory Day. Company has moved a lot of activities online: yoga classes, training courses, parties, home concerts, quests, environmental lectures. That has significantly reduced the costs while the engagement increased. For example, an online party brought together 400+ people. Most of the events have been organized by employees — DJs, yoga instructors, quest writers. You can't put a price on that.

2. Branded products and merchandise: up to 50% reduction (depending on the expenditure item)

Company has cut the costs of corporate gifts for offline and office events by half. Online events have been supplied from last year's stocks. Buying souvenirs in bulk for future use has proved to be both cheaper and more reliable: the contractor market and international shipping are currently under threat.

However, the budget for welcome kits for entry-level employees has remained intact. In 2019, company's staff expanded by 400+ employees. This year, despite the lockdown, 100+ new employees have already been hired. Recruitment and new employees are priorities, and company is not going to cut these expenses down.

3. Recruitment: redistribution of expenses within the expenditure category

Company has opted out of renting premises for group job interviews because of the ban on mass events, factored in a slight reduction in costs due to the natural decrease in recruitment in other cities, and waived the services of recruitment agencies. Unfortunately, in ICL Services' s case, they have rarely provided the desired result. However, company has allocated more funds to the access to job search resources and preserved the referral program budget (a referral bonus is granted to anyone who successfully refers a candidate for a vacancy to be filled).

4. VHI (voluntary health insurance) and employees' health and wellbeing: no reductions

The COVID-19 pandemic does not cancel out all other health issues; therefore, company do not cut the costs for voluntary health insurance. If any of company's employees feels unwell, they'll make an appointment at a commercial medical clinic and see a doctor at a specific time thus minimizing contact with other people waiting in line. They will also undergo a thorough examination and receive high-quality treatment. Moreover, voluntary health insurance is included in the employee benefits package that company provides upon recruitment. Making amendments to it means violating the employment contract. Company hasn't suspended the new employees' application and enrolment for the VHI coverage either.

Maintaining loyalty is the key

The first thing that should be triggered by a crisis is common sense. And common sense dictates that the "lost cause" attitude will not get things done. Budget reallocation forms a part of the crisis management strategy that company has developed during the pandemic and it provides valuable experience in a fast-changing environment.

Let stress this point: when you decide to eliminate something that you've always provided for your employees, make sure they understand your decision. Otherwise, you risk losing their loyalty. Currently, the prime HR objective is to preserve the staff's confidence in the future. And what works best here is a decent salary and benefits, open communication, the ability to maintain corporate spirit online and help your business develop while meeting its recruitment needs.

About ICL Services
ICL Services is a large system integrator (member of the ICL group of companies), providing a full range of services on domestic and international markets. The company employs more than 2,000 workers who successfully interact with more than 80 clients from 30 countries around the world, providing IT services 24 hours 7 days a week in Russian, English, French and German. ICL Services offices are located in Kazan, Moscow, Voronezh, Vladivostok and Belgrade (Serbia).

www.icl-services.com

Additional information for the media:
e-mail: arina.vasilieva@icl-services.com
tel .: 8 (800) 333-98-70

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

ICL Services maintains a culture of information security among employees during the period of mass removal

Kazan, Russia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/21/2020 -- Raising employee awareness is one of the key vectors necessary to maintain the information security (IS) management system of the company fully operational. According to statistics, employees have direct involvement in 70% of the total number of information security incidents, and 8 out of 10 company employees leak corporate information. Therefore, effective cooperation with the employees and raising their IS awareness are the cornerstone of every company's security. In the current climate, the significance of these processes is much higher than it has been before. After the whole world went on lockdown in the second quarter of 2020, most business processes were reorganized to be run remotely. Since no company has full control over its employee's actions, especially one working remotely, raising the employee awareness and conscientiousness regarding information security comes to the fore. Under the circumstances, the responsibility for ensuring data security mostly falls on the employees themselves, and in this context, remote work can pose additional risks.

ICL Services has traditionally put particular emphasis on raising employee awareness of IS issues. Under current conditions, when the majority of the team members are working from home, it is crucial for them to know and understand the general and specific requirements for data processing, storage and transfer. In many cases, ICL Services customers, contractors and partners may also impose special requirements for information security within the framework of cooperation. In the course of the IS events held within the company, the team members are explained why it is essential to comply with the information security requirements of both our company and our partners.

Adhering to the IS rules established in the company helps to preserve the privacy, integrity and availability of the data of all the parties concerned. Employees possessing a high level of maturity in terms of IS are more likely to identify risks and incidents and propose improvements not only to the company's but also to the customer's business processes. ICL Services provides a wide range of IT services to large Russian and foreign businesses, therefore, immediately after formal employment (and sometimes even before it), all the employees familiarize themselves with the IS requirements established in the company. In cases where a preliminary opinion on a candidate is required, the IS service specialists are invited to interview the prospective employees. All the employees hired for a remote job position undergo information security risk assessment, and those who, while fulfilling their job duties, decide to make the switch to full-time remote work, receive a personal phone call reviewing the critical elements. The call is aimed at checking whether the employee has all the contacts of the support services and has access to business continuity plans, as well as the employee's level of knowledge of the rules of sensitive data storage and transfer, etc.

Regardless of their work mode (remote or in-office), all the ICL Services employees, in order to perform their duties competently, to preserve the privacy of the information about the company, a partner or a customer, as well as to avoid reputational and other risks, need to comply with the following rules:

1) promptly respond to phishing emails;

2) ensure the protection of sensitive information in accordance with the existing laws;

3) prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information and corporate devices;

4) promptly notify the appropriate services of information security incidents;

5) promptly inform about the inability to provide the service to the customer (BCP incidents);

6) dispose of confidential documents beyond recovery;

7) avoid unauthorized repair of corporate equipment;

8) immediately inform the concerned services in the event of a loss/theft of the devices containing sensitive information;

9) comply with the clear desk and clear screen policy.

ICL Services has also introduced the practice of holding events where IS officers tell their new colleagues about the IS management system within the company, explain the basic requirements of the information security policies to them, analyse particular cases of security breaches in order to prepare the employees to handle similar situations at work. The event is called Security Induction and is obligatory for every employee on probation. The purpose of the event is not to "drive" the IS rules into the employees, but to raise their level of information security awareness/general competence.

In the course of the event, both real-life company cases and cases from the professional experience of information security officers are examined. It also covers the information security incidents that occurred outside the company, but received widespread coverage (for example, the "Star Wars Episode IX" script listed on eBay; the Rambler and Nginx developer confrontation). During the discussions, the Security Induction attendees themselves discern the connection between the incidents and the IS rules and come up with the "correct" solution that could prevent the incident. Focusing on case studies helps to explain the requirements of the company's IS policies in as much detail as possible and enables the employees of various departments to match them to their job responsibilities. Answering the questions posed during Security Induction — "how to destroy sensitive information correctly", "why is it important to transfer information via secure channels", "how information about the partners disclosed to third parties can damage the concerned parties", and others — "untangles the knot" of causal relations and demonstrates the safest and the most sensible course of action in challenging situations.

Due to the mass shift to remote work, Security Induction has become particularly relevant. Working from home has updated the primary educational vector "Which information policy rules need to be observed in our Company?" with the question "Why is it crucial to adhere to all the information policy rules when working remotely"?. Particular emphasis is placed on the fact that while working from home, the employee needs to be even more scrupulous about complying with the rules, since maintaining the company's information security is the task of each and every staff member.

With the majority of staff working remotely, the format of the event has been changed. Whereas previously the meeting was held in person and was limited by the capacity of the meeting room, today the event is held in the form of a webinar, involves more people and enables the employees to connect in convenient ways (via a PC, a smartphone, etc.). However, despite the new format, the training includes a lot of interactive activities with the employees: surveys, discussions of the best course of action, storytelling by other participants, etc. Since it is harder to hold the audience's attention during an online event than at an in-person event, Security Induction materials have been redesigned to facilitate the perception of information: a part of the presentation is now designed using memes and short funny videos.

At the end of the event, the employees receive a newsletter containing useful links to corporate resources on information security. The employees are also assigned training courses in information security that supplement and expand the already known information. The employee feedback helps to update and improve the content of the awareness-raising event, which is beneficial for the learning process.

In addition to Security Induction, the new employee also reads the access control regulations, the rules for obtaining permission to take the equipment off the premises, explores the scope of the Information Security Management System, undergoes testing on the Password Policy, on handling sensitive information, on the non-disclosure agreement and workaround solutions, on Media Relations Policy. All the company employees take part in these activities, including those who work remotely.

Thus, by the end of the probation period, the employee can fully engage in the work processes and form part of the Information Security Management System. The employee who has acquired this knowledge will be able to detect and prevent potential IS incidents both in work issues and in everyday life. This, in turn, is one of the basic guarantees of the protection of sensitive information of the company, its partners and customers.

All the ICL Services activities aimed at raising the IS awareness of the employees help to keep the company's team on the alert, whereas the customers can be sure that their systems and their data are managed by the specialists who are knowledgeable in information security.

About ICL Services
ICL Services is a large system integrator (member of the ICL group of companies), providing a full range of services on domestic and international markets. The company employs more than 2,000 workers who successfully interact with more than 80 clients from 30 countries around the world, providing IT services 24 hours 7 days a week in Russian, English, French and German. ICL Services offices are located in Kazan, Moscow, Voronezh, Vladivostok and Belgrade (Serbia).

http://www.icl-services.com

Additional information for the media:
e-mail: arina.vasilieva@icl-services.com
tel .: 8 (800) 333-98-70

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Due to the global scale of corruption and in order to maintain the internal corporate economic world, effective anti-corruption measures have been implemented not only in politics, but also in economy. In companies around the world, compliance with these measures has become mandatory both for managers and frontline employees. ICL Services has implemented an appropriate step-by-step process to resolve the issue.

Kazan, Russia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/21/2020 -- With the development of modern capitalist society, corruption-related offences have become a pervasive economic issue both throughout the Western world and in post-Soviet countries. According to the statistics provided by the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, in the past year, the damage caused by corruption offences in this country amounted to more than 55 billion roubles, which is a 9 billion increase compared to 2018.

Overall, the statistical information is quite impressive: the Prosecutor General's Office registered more than 30 thousand cases of corruption, half of which led to criminal proceedings. Russia also stood out due to its position in the Corruption Perceptions Index: specifically, according to the report by Transparency dated January 23, 2020, Russia, along with Kenya, was ranked 137th out of 180 possible positions in the rating, scoring only 28 points.

Thus, the most pervasive offences have been and remain passive and active bribery, as well as mediation in bribing a high-profile legal entity or individual. Due to the global scale of this situation and in order to maintain the internal corporate economic world, effective anti-corruption measures have been implemented not only in politics, but also in economy. In companies around the world, compliance with these measures has become mandatory both for managers and frontline employees. ICL Services has implemented an appropriate step-by-step process to resolve the issue. This major player in the Russian market of IT services proved that the enforcement of anti-corruption measures within the company, as well as in interactions with customers and partners, is the requirement of the modern global market system.

As one of the leading IT outsourcing companies in the world, ICL Services has aimed to pursue only the best global business practices from day one. The company has always been competing for customers located in more than 30 countries of the world fairly and transparently. In particular, the global experience in IT services provision has been instrumental in developing a consistent approach helping the company employees comply with the anti-corruption law in Russia and in customers' countries. Therefore, it is not surprising that large-scale anti-corruption action has become one of the key areas of the company's social responsibility policy.

Elaborated by the company's specialists and compulsory for every employee, the ICL Services anti-corruption policy comprises the standards, guidelines, and protocols for interaction with government agencies, political parties and associations, as well as the provisions for the company's charitable activities. It is worth noting that the foreign colleagues' experience was foundational for development of the policy of zero tolerance for bribery and corruption.

The compliance manager, a designated company official supervises the corporate anti-corruption portal, maintains the operation of the corruption risk management system within the company, and also ensures protection of staff from potential threats and harassment. All employees undergo anti-corruption training which includes tests and are compulsorily informed of the concept of a "conflict of interest".

When it comes to the consequences of fraudulent activities, the first thing that springs to mind is financial loss, but in practice there are other business failures: loss or deterioration of corporate reputation which is critically important for both customers and competitors. Psychological climate cannot be overlooked either. For these reasons, ICL Services adheres to the anti-corruption principle in its operations and includes a compulsory clause of compliance with current anti-corruption legislation in all contract, since transparency in identifying fraudulent activities and provision of information to parties about the preventive measures help minimize or avoid damage.

Being aware of all the potential threats associated with economic and financial crime, ICL Services establishes an appropriate corporate culture not only for its employees, but also for its business partners. According to Sergey Solovyov, CEO of ICL Services, "corruption risk poses a real threat to business," and therefore the company has been implementing a number of response policy measures for risk mitigation. For example, in order to create the conditions for fair competition in the IT services market, ICL Services conducts annual internal analysis of prospective suppliers, which allows to identifying whether the partner companies meet the prerequisites for productive cooperation.

About ICL Services
ICL Services has more than 1,600 employees who work successfully with more than 80 customers from 30 countries, providing IT services 24/7 in Russian, English, French, and German.

https://icl-services.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

ICL Services supports universal rights and provides opportunities to its employees.

Kazan, Russia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/21/2020 -- These days the society is faced with multiple challenges: large-scale COVID-19 pandemic affecting more than 5 million people worldwide, financial recession, unemployment, political and social confrontation caused by human rights violation, environmental disasters. The list can go on forever. It is hard to believe that those issues can be resolved by initiatives of individuals or companies. However, the case of ICL Services, a major IT services company with 2,300+ employees worldwide, testifies to the contrary.

In its operations and corporate culture, the company applies the principles of respect and protection of human rights and adheres to the ISO 26000 international standard providing guidance on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In an effort to streamline the company's policies, ICL Services takes it one step further and applies this approach to its contractors. To achieve this objective, the Code for Suppliers and Business Partners is implemented. All counterparties must sign it before concluding a contract with the company and strictly observe these provisions thereafter.

By adhering to the CSR principles, including the protection of human rights, ICL Services becomes more competitive in recruiting and retaining the employees. Moreover, the research has shown that socially responsible companies not only acquire more visibility in the labor market but also achieve their financial performance objectives more effectively.

In this article, we speak about the universal human rights promoted by the company, and the opportunities provided to the employees of ICL Services.

The right to just and favourable conditions of work, rest, and leisure

ICL Services not only creates comfortable workplaces conforming to the occupational health and safety requirements but has also allocated and equipped onsite recreation rooms, eating areas, and sports grounds. All offices have water dispensers and systems of air recirculation and antibacterial treatment installed. Active sports facilities are located on the territory of the office building.

Offices are equipped with wheelchair ramps and have tactile markings for the visually impaired. The employees complete fire safety training courses.

ICL Services provides a vacation premium bonus and a year-end bonus. In addition to the essential benefits (a smooth transition to parental leave and assistance in paperwork), the company supports family values and offers a wedding benefit and a child's birth bonus, organizes events for the employees' children, and gives out New Year presents. The company also covers mortgage interest, develops an IT village next to the office, and invests in the construction of apartment buildings for employees.

The right to equality

ICL Services always adheres to the principle of equal rights while hiring employees or considering a promotion. Any talented employee, regardless of their gender, age, or other differences, can be hired or promoted exclusively based on their proficiency and skills.

Gender equality

The IT industry is stereotypically considered to be a "male-dominated" one, as the majority of university graduates with a degree in Information Technology are men. However, year after year the company strives to equalize the gender imbalance: it conducts training courses at schools and universities intended to showcase the opportunities offered by the IT industry to girls. It hosts the Women Tech Club meetings where female managers can meet the employees, sharing their success stories. The company "'talent pool" aimed at fostering future managers always includes female employees.

Working with disabled people

In 2019, the company launched online training for people with musculoskeletal disorders. During the course, the employees introduced the basics of the IT profession and business communication to the students, so that they could pursue their future careers as technical specialists.

Since 2018, the company has been participating in the Career Path events and conducting workshops. It sponsors sitball (sitting volleyball) competitions.

Support for the regions

ICL Services offers a relocation program for employees from other cities: after the move, they can receive a relocation allowance or live at a corporate apartment for the first 3 months.

The right to health protection and medical care

Health

The company endorses sports as an essential part of a healthy lifestyle: it offers partial compensation for the purchase of gym membership, promotes participation in regular sporting events (marathons, sports and athletic contests, "Race of Heroes") and organizes its own events. ICL Services holds yoga classes at the offices, and puts up special stickers encouraging the employees to take the stairs instead of elevators.

Healthcare

The company runs a voluntary health insurance (VHI) program for the employees comprising 40 health clinics and a dentistrye, organizes free annual vaccination, and photofluorography. The employees can invite a doctor for a home visit; all offices have medical rooms in case anyone feels unwell. Every Monday, a general practitioner sees patients free of charge. A few times a year, the company employees voluntarily take part in Blood Donor Days.

Providing healthcare information

ICL Services conducts webinars on mental health, lectures on healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition, and first aid workshops.

COVID

Given the rapidly changing situation with the pandemic, the company management took prompt action to reduce the risk of infection. In just one week, 2,000 employees were transitioned to remote working. The company organized lectures given by virologists, maintained consistent communication (93% of the employees gave the messages a 4-5/ 5 score, rating them as useful or very useful), and explained to the personnel how they could protect themselves and their families. These efforts continue today: the employees are strongly recommended not to return to their offices unless it is necessary for business. Nevertheless, if an employee wants to work onsite, ICL Services has already introduced appropriate measures: the employee's body temperature is checked before entering the office, the floor is marked to enforce social distancing, face masks are provided, and the premises are equipped with information stickers reminding of the safety measures introduced during the pandemic. In cafeterias and eating areas, tables are socially distanced, and re-usable tableware and cutlery are replaced with disposable ones.

The right to a safe environment and a sustainable future

The company attaches great importance to environmental issues, supports the employees' volunteer movement, and champions the international right to a healthy environment. ICL Services organises environmental events and supports city initiatives, takes part in community clean-ups, hosts ecology lectures and waste sorting workshops, arranges green spaces in offices, and plants trees in city parks.

Educational opportunities

Employees are offered ample opportunities for training and professional development: onsite and online English courses, technical training and business workshops, internal and external training courses, international IT and business certifications.

For students and university graduates, the company offers free short-term courses in various IT fields the ICL Services School. In 2019, the company organised 11 schools, enabling 150+ trainees to graduate and launch careers of system administrators, project managers, software developers, and technical specialists.

The opportunity to voice your opinion openly

ICL Services corporate culture encourages an open and inclusive dialogue supported by the working environment: open-plan offices facilitate prompt resolution of work issues. Special interest clubs and open discussion sessions are of particular interest to the co-workers.

The company has an extensive internal communications network. The employees can send their questions to a dedicated email address operating 24/7. Strategy update sessions with the executive staff that are held 3 times a year are also transparency-oriented: the management team talks about the company's mission, plans, and projects, answers the questions from the offline and online audience. ICL Services conducts an annual engagement survey. The issues identified by the survey are prioritized in order of importance and promptly resolved. Surveys are always anonymous and are aimed at eliciting the feeling of transparency and safety for the respondent. This way the company determines the weakest points and seeks to process every request.

By implementing these principles, the company demonstrates the importance of respect for human rights and their protection. By showing respect and giving support to each employee, ICL Services enjoys their respect in return. Knowing that their rights are protected, the employee feels secure and remains loyal to the company -and the company employs profoundly motivated professionals ready for new achievements, both in public life and in business.

About ICL Services
ICL Services has more than 1,600 employees who work successfully with more than 80 customers from 30 countries, providing IT services 24/7 in Russian, English, French, and German.

https://icl-services.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

While the company has had some remote working experience before the lockdown, online corporate events remain an unchartered territory yet to be explored for the first time. Here are 9 exciting options for your team.

Kazan, Russia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/19/2020 -- In 2019 ICL Services held more than 180 events, 90% of them offline. Then in March 2020, almost at a moment's notice, in just two weeks, 90% of the employees shifted to remote working. How was event production supposed to readjust in these circumstances?

Luckily, they had a solid base. Here's the first tip: when organizing any major event, try to involve talented employees within the company. Co-workers in the company formed rock bands and performed at corporate parties, developed cyber games, hosted quizzes and competitions.

Switching to online mode, this tradition will stand in good stead. Reach out to those talented co-workers, and the ideas for events will come naturally.

Top 9 events that can be held online and on an almost zero budget

1. Online party

Organize a party featuring a DJ set with vinyl records - or even two parties. That's awesome if the DJ is co-worker. It is possible to bring the turntables and the streaming equipment to their place, post the event announcement on social media and intranet portal, and co-workers from the IT department can help set up the live stream. Just two events of ICL Services attracted 550 participants and got positive feedback.

If there is no co-worker doubling as a DJ, it is possible to hire one. Since parties are still banned in this country, there might be a good discount. Go live on YouTube!

2. Home concert

The next major event can be a virtual home concert of a rock band formed by the co-workers. Launch the live stream on YouTube, available to everyone interested. The performance will be attended not only by the employees, but by their family members, prospective job applicants, and social media followers.

In every team, there is usually a co-worker who can play the guitar. Invite them to give a heartwarming evening performance. And company's YouTube channel will give exposure to these lockdown homegrown artists and gain new subscribers.

3. Sporting events

ICL Services offers yoga classes online. They are held twice a week in exchange for a donation. It's hard to believe but the yoga instructor is co-worker of the company, too. In addition, the attendance has increased compared to offline classes at the office — they are more convenient, because there is no need to rush home right after the class.

It is also possible to launch any type of workout online — even if it's only "Holding a plank every day at 12.00" via a video call. Yes, the audience is small, but the engagement numbers will go through the roof at zero costs.

4. "Doctors vs Corona" adventure quest through Russian cities inspired by Plague.Inc

13 teams of five participants each "conquered" the cities, guessing the objects located on online maps, looking closely at monuments, and learning about the history of Russia. The quest was hosted by co-worker of ICL Services, and she was the one to come up with all the activities.

It is necessary to launch the online registration, put the teams together, buy the game engine (the quest hosting platform), and provide prizes for the winners.

The quest were centered on a hot topic. But if the company doesn't have a game designer, it is possible to simply cover the cost of the employees' participation in a third-party quiz. There's a wide selection of those now, and they are not very expensive.

5. Events for children

Being with kids 24/7 is bliss and... hard work. In addition to articles for parents with ideas on how to keep child entertained during the lockdown with materials available (completing quizzes around the apartment, playing the chemist or the cook, staging amateur plays, etc.), get ready to award the kids with certificates of gratitude that they did not interfere with their mothers' and fathers' working from home, that they lived through this difficult period without breaking restrictions - and did a brilliant job overall!

The certificates may be both printed and digital. ICL Services chose the online option, published an announcement for the employees with a link to the template so that everyone could download it and write in the name of their little lockdown hero.

6. External events

These can vary from quizzes to social activism. For example, ICL Services took part in the "I Know About Autism. Do You?" campaign launched by the Zvezda Foundation. Company shared the campaign information on corporate social media with the audience of more than 5000 people. As a result, more than 50 people were able to take the test on early detection of autism in children and became more knowledgeable about this issue.

Make informative compilations of online resources on how to work from home. On a regular basis, put together articles on online courses and training options, on free quizzes or live streams and tours, on good films and TV shows to while away the quarantine time.

For events with zero budget, monitor online activities and send invitations to employees. Activities of this kind have multiplied during the lockdown. It will cost nothing to the company, but provide the variety and change of scene for the employees.

7. Competitions

For people who have never worked from home, this is a stressful situation. That's why it is crucial to keep in touch with the co-workers and stand by them. Competitions titled "How to Work from Home Efficiently" and "Remote Work Challenge", in which everyone can share their secrets to staying motivated, always attract a large number of participants. Pets had been greatest solace. It's a lot of fun when someone's cat ambles into the frame during a live stream. Having had share of laughing, company assumed a more serious attitude, compiled the best remote work practices, shared them via official channels and communicated them to team leaders.

The lockdown period also involved two environmental events: Earth Hour and Earth Day. ICL Services launched competitions on social media and intranet portals: co-workers posted photos of how they spend time without electricity (the winners shared images of the moon as seen through a telescope and a theme-based origami). Famous environmental blogger also was invited to give a Zoom lecture on sustainable living habits.

Currently, there is an ongoing contest for the best crafts project using recyclable materials. Co-workers enjoy such things. All winners will be awarded after workers return to the office.

Competitions and lectures can be held in any format. It entirely depends on imagination. Just get co-workers together and try to see the positive side of events. Invite teammates to lectures and discussions that might be of interest to them! Award prizes for active participation or just post updates naming the winners and send them attractive digital certificates. Recognition is sometimes more valuable than any prize.

8. Educational activities

At the moment, it's crucial to keep the employees informed about the pandemic and other diseases. Set up an online meeting with a virologist. This will mitigate the emerging panic noticeably.

Colleagues have something to teach others, either related to professional activities or hobbies. Let it be known and share it with everyone.

9. Planting houseplants instead of trees

Twice a year ICL Services's team members plant trees: fir trees and flowers around the office building, apple trees in parks. On the lockdown these events are held online. Company host a lecture on how to repot houseplants properly and tell about the plants you can grow at home - from scallions and basil to avocados. Speaking of which, it is possible to grow beautiful two-meter plants from seeds of store-bought avocados. 30 people have already signed up for the lecture, so it seems to generate some interest. And the lecturer will be co-worker — a gardening expert.

What conclusion can be drawn from all this?

Events in the online format, remote learning and working from home are a new reality that has its benefits and drawbacks. ICL Services is forced to change and adapt very rapidly, doing a lot of things for the first time.

Now the company is looking forward to returning to conventional events and real-life meetings with co-workers. But ICL Services will definitely keep some of the virtual events. Experience has shown that this format has some undeniable advantages:

1. A greater degree of engagement. Co-workers' performances leave a more vivid impression than those of hired musicians. 1000+ comments left during the live stream and dozens of reposts on social media prove it.

2. A wider inclusion of managers. Experience suggests that managers make up only about 5% of the participants of offline events — it is lower than their share in the company staff. 95% of the participants are frontline employees. With the transition to the online format, company have significantly increased this ratio, by almost 20%. It might be attributed to the fact that the managers usually have a heavy workload and no time for an offline event. However, all they need to do to join a virtual activity is to turn on their laptop

3. Involvement of all offices. Integrated virtual space makes it possible to bring employees from all regions together. It is increasingly complicated at offline events.

4. Apparent budget savings. The need for event venues, office rentals, catering and other expenses is eliminated. You need to find equipment and prizes, as well as spend some time on planning and communication. It results in substantial savings.

5. Novelty and simplicity. If colleagues are left unimpressed with regular events, try to approach them from a new angle. Look into engagement and audience reach - probably, that is exactly what you were lacking. To learn about audience's wishes, just ask co-workers what kind of events they would like to participate in.

Virtual corporate event planning checklist

1. Select an audience-appropriate event and announce it at least a week before via the available channels: the intranet portal, the newsletter, social media, and instant messengers. This way the employees will set their schedules accordingly and won't make other plans for Friday evening.

2. Make sure to ask the co-workers to register for the event. This way you will be able to predict the number of participants and see whether the activity needs any additional promotion.

3. Test different online platforms. Use those that do not cause any audio or image distortions. It's a major advantage when the platform is accessible from different devices, such as laptops and smartphones.

4. Prepare the script and the timing. Prior to the event, come up with interactive activities (competitions, prizes) and select those who will livestream them during the event.

5. Run a test live stream with a focus-group.

6. On the day of the event, send out the relevant information to the participants: share direct links to the live stream via email and instant messengers.

7. At the end of the event, collect the participants' feedback and analyse the statistical data to gain insight into what to consider in the future.

About ICL Services
ICL Services is a large system integrator (member of the ICL group of companies), providing a full range of services on domestic and international markets. The company employs more than 2,000 workers who successfully interact with more than 80 clients from 30 countries around the world, providing IT services 24 hours 7 days a week in Russian, English, French and German. ICL Services offices are located in Kazan, Moscow, Voronezh, Vladivostok and Belgrade (Serbia).

http://www.icl-services.com

Additional information for the media:
e-mail: arina.vasilieva@icl-services.com
tel .: 8 (800) 333-98-70

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Eco-initiatives of ICL Services for 2019 and further plans

Kazan, Russia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/18/2020 -- ICL Services is a major system integrator that provides IT services to more than 80 customers in 30 countries. Employees of 8 offices from Belgrade to Vladivostok ensure 24/7 service and combine their work duties with a busy corporate life.This life has the following development focuses:

- clean business and lean manufacturing;
- equality in all aspects of life and work;
- charity and help to society;
- environment protection and green lifestyle.

The last area — green initiatives — is the most popular among employees. Here is an overview of our 2019 activities.

Over the past year, the company has held more than 150 events in various formats. One-fourth of them were devoted to environmental issues. Employees endorse the company's ideas and offer their own, as they see their contribution realized immediately during eco-focused campaigns. They are well-versed in environmental issues and interested in the topic. The traditional events with the largest coverage are eco-runs and clean-ups in city parks. They attract 100+ participants each.

The main pillars on which the company's green initiatives are built make it possible to implement socially desirable projects and unlock the potential of proactive employees.

1. Presentation of the opportunities

Clear and transparent ideas are easier to implement. When the company speaks about the benefits of its green initiatives, issues and ways to solve them, educating employees about the environment, everyone can decide for themselves whether this corporate culture is close to their heart.

The introduction to the company's eco-orientation begins immediately after a new employee is hired. In addition to work-related topics, onboarding training includes a section dedicated to the environmental aspect. The colleagues present the completed projects and explain how to join the green movement. Participation in eco-events is voluntary. It is only necessary to describe idea, meet with an initiative group of volunteers, and discuss implementation steps. The only requirement for the employee is their desire to take on the project.

2. Involving in ideas

To increase interest in environmental issues, ICL Services uses both traditional communication channels (intranet portals, newsletters, meetings with employees) and non-trivial means. Among them are:

- Organization of various events, in particular, competitions and forest clean-ups, participation in the "Cycling to Work" and "Earth Hour" campaigns, the "Endangered Species" and "We Are Against Plastic" photo contests, drawing competitions on eco-topics for employees' children, and the all-city ecological quest on the "World Cleanup Day".

Adding a fun component to an eco-project increases engagement. And when such events are held annually and integrated into the daily life of the company, they certainly become a good tradition.

- The use of quick communication channels.

Social media and messengers with attractive graphics help enlist the sufficient number of participants. Attendees are sent reminders a day before to reduce the risk that they would miss out an upcoming event or forget about it. Also, each participant can get a quick response from the organizers to clarify the points of interest.

Social media help attract participants who do not have access to intranet portals, such as job applicants, and people interested in the company's activities. This allows expanding the reach and maintaining the reputation of a socially responsible employer in the eyes of prospective employees.

- Combination of various event formats.

An original touch to ongoing initiatives helps preserve the interest in them within the company. If employees want to take part in a sports event or an educational lecture, it can be combined with an environmental theme.

One of the most memorable events in the life of the company was the eco-run in the Gorky Park (Kazan) which gathered 100+ participants. After the race, the employees went to participate in the all-city cleanup day.

The bike ride, combined with an excursion to the observatory, was also highly appreciated by colleagues and had a good reach.

Volunteers of the company complement educational lectures on the separate waste collection with practical training. During such an event, employees are invited to sort waste into the necessary sections independently and solve the problem of separate collection and recycling of waste as a group. The knowledge received is reinforced by practice in the office, where everyone has the opportunity to control the separate collection of organic waste, different types of plastic, paper, and tea bags in sectional containers on each floor. When the containers become full, employees write to the organizers asking to empty them. For this, the company cooperates with an eco-organization that transports waste to city sorting points.

3. Ensuring freedom of action

Eco-activists in the company are volunteers interested in projects from the moment of their inception. They are willing to devote time and energy to the implementation of these ideas because they realize their value and impact on society. Corporate support of proactive employees and trust in them is the path that ICL Services chooses. By handing over the full implementation of green projects to employees, the company enjoys returns and results. An employee passionate about their idea takes every effort to implement it successfully.

4. Supporting initiatives

Leadership support also plays an important role. It has become a tradition in ICL Services that managers and team leaders participate in the planting of trees on the surrounding territory of the office.

Sometimes the leaders become the main force behind such campaigns. For example, the company's CEO Ruslan Vagizov made a great contribution to the organization of the eco-run.

5. Providing feedback

After each event, feedback is get from the participants. It is part of the corporate culture of ICL Services. Seeing that project was appreciated properly is always heartwarming. Publishing news with the names of the "heroes" of the event on the intranet portal makes this feedback even more valuable, and award ceremonies for volunteers held at the end of the year with the personal participation of top managers create motivation for further success.

6. Focus on the future

One-time campaigns usually have an extensive reach, since the event is new and the interest in it is high. It is much more difficult to maintain a permanent interest in environmental issues. ICL Services takes a forward-looking approach with a focus on the future. To motivate employees to lead an eco-friendly lifestyle all the time, the company "plants a green line" in everyday activities and creates an atmosphere of respect for nature.

Environmentally-friendly office.

It's easier to be mindful of the environment if the workplace supports this kind of thinking. In the offices of ICL Services there are containers for separate collection of waste, paper, and batteries. Volunteers collect clothes which are sent to the local free market and then to those in need. The traditional planting of trees and flowers around the office building makes the surrounding territory both beautiful and green.

Mugs lost or misplaced by employees are used as pots for houseplants which emphasises the idea of recyclability.

Communications.

Stickers on office walls urge employees to turn off the water if they don't wash their hands and cut down on water consumption. When printing, it is preferable to use dirty copies. If an employee is going on vacation, they will get an email reminder to turn off their laptop. More detailed information about the company's environmental activities is published in the special portal section.

Minimum transport use.

The company strives to decrease the use of corporate shuttle buses during events by looking for volunteer drivers who will pick up and drop off colleagues along the way or organizing events in the office which eliminates the need to go to another location.

There is a bicycle parking near each office. Everything is arranged in such a way that employees can get to work without using their cars.

Eco-souvenirs.

During onboarding, new employees receive a beginner's kit, which contains a mug (to prevent them from using disposable plastic cups), an eco-friendly pen made from recycled materials, and badge cases — all with minimal packaging.

When choosing gifts, the company always focuses on environmental friendliness and natural materials. ICL Services also increases support of regional contractors to minimize environmental impacts of cargo transportation.

Sustainability of events.

When organizing large corporate events for 1000+ people, instead of purchasing individual water bottles, the company orders large containers. Employees are encouraged to bring their thermal tumblers.

Containers for separate waste collection, reusable photo zones, no plastic, eco-friendly design — these principles have been implemented in the company since 2019 and become commonplace.

With the transition of employees to remote work, online campaigns, lectures, contests and events are becoming increasingly popular. At the same time, their environmental impact is minimal because the issues of transportation to the event venue, power consumption, disposable tableware, and packaging for catering are eliminated.

For instance, during the lockdown, the company held an online meeting with an eco-blogger, workshops on growing microgreens, and environmental lectures.

All these steps make the corporate life of employees both exciting and environmentally friendly. By organizing special events and campaigns, creating comfortable conditions in the office, educating colleagues and helping them implement their ideas, the company lays the groundwork for the future: future projects, further engagement in the corporate life, and interest in the topic. An environmentally conscious employee should feel supported and receive positive feedback on their work. In this way, they will always be motivated to implement new initiatives both inside the company and externally. Even if a colleague decides to change the employer, they are likely to maintain respect for nature and continue to support and promote the "green" lifestyle.

About ICL Services
ICL Services is a large system integrator (member of the ICL group of companies), providing a full range of services on domestic and international markets. The company employs more than 2,000 workers who successfully interact with more than 80 clients from 30 countries around the world, providing IT services 24 hours 7 days a week in Russian, English, French and German. ICL Services offices are located in Kazan, Moscow, Voronezh, Vladivostok and Belgrade (Serbia).

http://www.icl-services.com

Additional information for the media:
e-mail: arina.vasilieva@icl-services.com
tel .: 8 (800) 333-98-70

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Rehab Family, family clinic for mental health and treatment of addictions, has introduced a new CRM system. In this regard, they needed to transfer data from the old system to the new one. ICL Services developed a robot which performed data transfer from the old CRM system to the new one according to a given algorithm.

Kazan, Russia -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/18/2020 -- Rehab Family is a family clinic for mental health and treatment of addictions.

The customer has introduced a new CRM system. In this regard, they needed to transfer data from the old system to the new one. Most of the information would need to be processed manually, which would be very laborious, and there was also a great risk of error due to the human factor. Therefore, the customer company was looking for a solution for automated data transfer.

CHALLENGE
The customer launched a project to implement a new cloud-based CRM system. Previously, the customer used a different system with outdated functionality, which was impossible to develop further. At the start-up stage before the production run, it was necessary to transfer the sensitive personal information of the Customer's clients to the new system. They managed to download part of this information from the obsolete system and upload it into the new CRM. Another portion of information was stored in the format of documents attached to customer data sheets and it was impossible to upload it automatically. Manual transfer of documents was inconvenient and would potentially take too much time. In addition, the risk of human error could not be ruled out. The old CRM system had more than 21 thousand different records, so, according to preliminary estimates, it would be necessary to spend more than 1,500 working hours on transferring all this information. The customer did not have enough resources, and the cost of attracting a contractor was too high and was not accounted for in the planned costs of the project. Attracting other assistance, for example, students, for the physical transfer of information was also impossible in view of the sensitive personal information with which they would have to work.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
To transfer sensitive personal data from one system to another within a limited timeframe and with a tight budget.

IMPLEMENTED OUR SOLUTION
ICL Services offered the customer to develop a robot on the UiPath RPA platform, which could fulfil this task. Given the fact that the data processing speed of the robot which can work 24x7 is much higher than that of a human, according to preliminary estimates, the robot would be able complete the project in less than 1 month. It took only 1 month to agree on the details, conclude an agreement, develop a robot, test it, deploy the platform and put it into operation. As part of the project, test cases were developed that covered all possible exceptions in the operation of the robot. Thus, the system could work almost autonomously, without involving the Customer's personnel.

RESULTS
As a result of the project, we developed a robot which performed data transfer from the old CRM system to the new one according to a given algorithm. The robot interacted with both systems exclusively through the user interface and used the standard CRM functionality. It is worth noting that this method of transfer of confidential information excluded the risk of leakage by minimizing the human factor.

The robot processed more than 21 thousand records in the original CRM system and transferred the necessary documents to a new one in 20 calendar days. The implementation of the robot reduced the laboriousness of the task by three times, and the data transfer time was reduced by almost 10 times due to the 24/7 operation of the robot in comparison with the eight-hour working day of an ordinary employee.

About ICL Services
ICL Services is a large system integrator (member of the ICL group of companies), providing a full range of services on domestic and international markets. The company employs more than 2,000 workers who successfully interact with more than 80 clients from 30 countries around the world, providing IT services 24 hours 7 days a week in Russian, English, French and German. ICL Services offices are located in Kazan, Moscow, Voronezh, Vladivostok and Belgrade (Serbia).

http://www.icl-services.com

Additional information for the media:
e-mail: arina.vasilieva@icl-services.com
tel .: 8 (800) 333-98-70

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm