TCS to Enhance IT and Cybersecurity for Follett with New Three-Year Contract

On July 30, 2024, Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS) announced a three-year contract to enhance IT infrastructure and cybersecurity services for Follett Higher Education, a leading college store operator in North America. This partnership aims to upgrade Follett’s IT systems to better support its innovative academic and retail services across US and Canadian colleges and universities.

Follett, which manages over 1,000 college stores across North America, sought TCS’s expertise to advance its IT capabilities. This agreement builds on their decade-long collaboration, marking a significant expansion in their partnership. TCS will employ its proprietary platforms, including TCS Cognix™, an AI-driven suite for human-machine collaboration, and Cloud Exponence, a comprehensive hybrid cloud management tool.

TCS’s Machine First™ delivery approach, combined with TCS Cognix™, will automate manual processes, creating an efficient enterprise infrastructure management platform with integrated security and compliance features. This system will proactively address and resolve performance issues that could affect business operations.

Additionally, Cloud Exponence will offer a unified view of Follett’s operations across various cloud platforms, enhancing IT service delivery, optimising usage, and managing costs effectively. TCS will also use ITIL 4 standards and best practices to ensure high-quality IT service management.

To address cybersecurity challenges, TCS will strengthen Follett’s defences by managing its Security Operations Center and providing comprehensive security services, including email, network, identity, and access management. TCS will enhance Follett’s Governance, Risk, and Compliance processes and offer end-to-end visibility of its cybersecurity landscape through its security-as-a-service platform.

The Vice President of Enterprise Infrastructure for Follett Higher Education, Prasad Keshava, said, “At Follett, we believe every interaction a student has with us contributes to their potential for success. That’s why our partnership with TCS is crucial, along with a well-structured governance and accountability matrix. Working as a united team, we are eager to build a best-in-class technology backbone so we can make every touchpoint with our customer seamless, scalable, and fit for purpose, well into the future.”

Ashish Khurana, Vice President and Head, Retail Americas Business, TCS, said, “Whether it’s at a campus bookstore or online, we are committed to partnering with Follett to delight and support students on their academic journeys. We are excited to deepen our longstanding relationship with Follett. TCS will combine its contextual knowledge with technology to create frictionless experiences in students’ interactions with Follett.”

On July 30, 2024, the share price of Tata Consultancy Services Ltd opened at ₹4,391.10, touching the day’s low at ₹4,327.30, as of 11:22 AM on the NSE.

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