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A good luck message ahead of 150th Open at St Andrews
On behalf of everyone at TEC, we wanted to say good luck to all those working at, reporting on and competing in The 150th Open at St Andrews.
These people will all be part of sporting history; their actions behind the scenes, behind a camera and behind a putt will shape the memories that people take away from the next few days at the home of golf. With record crowds expected on the course, following 1.3m ticket applications via the ballot, and millions more watching around the world, they are the team responsible for the way in which fans experience this major milestone for The Open.
TEC is proud to be part of this team.
We will have two people on site, supported by a further 19 back at our headquarters in Cluj, working on the event remotely. Our on-site team will work side by side with The R&A’s digital technology and content teams helping to manage the website’s performance and analytics during the tournament and oversee client side testing and verification of remote developments. They will also support with the streaming service, testing the domestic experience while the team back in Cluj tests the international version.
In addition to support with video and audio streams, the team back at TEC HQ plays a critical role in managing and maintaining the digital experience fans get through the website and, in particular, through the live scoring platform that TEC created for The R&A, and which takes the data feed from SMT and publishes scores and leaderboard changes in real time. They also oversaw the development of the bespoke scoring platform which was built by TEC as part of the new digital presence for the special Celebration of Champions competition which took place on Monday 11th July.
TEC’s HQ team is also a key part of how the media cover the event, with the Virtual Media Centre that TEC built for The R&A used to provide journalists and photographers with the latest content from across the course.
The close relationship we have built with The R&A over the past five years, supporting the development of their digital presence and helping to manage the digital experience at events, will stand us in good stead as we approach the climax of this momentous week. We are proud to be part of the event team and to work alongside so many hardworking and talented people, who are all committed to making sure fans have the best experience possible.
St Andrews, the world is watching…and we’re proud to help them do so.
For more information on the TEC: Agency and how we can meet your digital challenge, please contact us at hello@tecss.com.
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Three tech trends that will redefine sports and live events
Digital transformation continues to disrupt the world of business and bring change to consumer expectations. Looking at how quickly Airbnb challenged travel or how Uber redefined the taxi experience, we know that not investing in a digital experience is as catastrophic as Blockbuster failing to foresee a Netflix style service.
Sports and live events are no less insulated with technology driving transformative distribution in areas like ticketing and more disruption on the horizon. Through this lens, we have prepared a new whitepaper that examines three of the biggest tech trends that will redefine the sports and live events sector. Some are here now, having been accelerated by COVID. Others are rapidly evolving to solve long-standing issues that make event attendance safer and more accessible.
Download our new whitepaper
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#TECStories – Alexandru Olariu
Hello there, I am Andu, the young HR that singles out people to fit in with the TEC tribe to keep the fire burning. Don’t be deceived by my age – I’ve always felt like an old man in a young man’s body, mostly because of the myriad of heavy books I read, the fact that I instantly click with seniors, and that I get triggered easily if you disturb my silence (hehe).
By now (I’m in my mid-twenties) I’ve attempted a career in programming, ended up studying and working in civil engineering, dabbled in the world of NGOs, and today, here I am at TEC working as an HR consultant (strike a pose!). It may look a bit haphazard, but I really feel like I have found my place here. Here’s why. All along my sharp-angled path through life, there has been one constant – martial arts. This is where I got most of my life values and principles in life. In my daily evening training, I am surrounded by a lot of mindful, cool-headed, strong-willed but humble people and I naturally searched for the same pattern in my work life.
While most sports are about competition and results, martial arts are more about self-discovery and personal growth. I somehow assumed that the world of IT was the same, with different arenas, different things at stake. I was really searching for something authentic, something inspiring to help me grow some wings. When my boss showed up at my first interview dressed in a strappy yellow T-shirt, he checked my “authentic” box. Then, learning about some of my colleagues that were moving mountains in their projects, fired my inspiration.
Last but not least, I first felt my wings spread when I was given the freedom to spread across multiple tasks and discover what I am good at.
That’s me in a nutshell. I know I said I love my silence but don’t hesitate to poke me if you want to know me better. I’m really warm and friendly by nature and who knows, maybe I can talk you into taking up Wing Chun ;).
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The future starts now – Grooming tomorrow’s software developers
At TEC we’re all about continuous improvement, especially when it comes to our personal and professional development. This mantra also comprises an open mindset and the commitment to help the younger generations in their quest of discovering and beginning the right career journey.
This year, it was Ioana’s, Timotei’s, Lucian’s, and Sergiu’s chance to get a taste of the life of a software developer. From recruiting and until their last day in the company, they got to work closely with our HR and Software Departments, represented by Gabriela and Bogdan, as they teamed up to build a vacation planner web app for TEC employees. The best part of it is that all of us had a blast while at it.
This being said, let’s jump straight to their experience as interns.
Ioana – teamwork makes the dream work
This internship experience at TEC was one of the most amazing ones so far, not only because I got to learn and develop myself, along with my teammates and colleagues, but because I discovered a new family, where everybody helps and supports each other. Nothing was a competition, and everyone did their best in order to accomplish the goals and to help others grow.
Timotei – enthusiasm is the first step
As my first internship, I didn’t really know what to expect. I started off being confused and anxious, but at the end, I left more determined and more energized than ever. Describing my experience at TEC is something that’s hard to be put in words. Here, people are smart, kind, companionable, and the level of professionalism is top-notch. I gained invaluable knowledge, made friends, and had great fun. Thank you, #PeopleOfTEC!
Lucian – hard things are hard
Hi, I am Lucian and I was one of the 4 interns at TEC during the summer of 2021. I am currently attending a 3-year bachelor’s degree at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. At the time of enrolling into this internship program, I have just completed my second year of studies and I was looking to gather as much relevant work experience as I could over the summer.
I feel like I want to speak about my intern experience as it was the time I developed the most in such a short period of time. The #PeopleOfTEC welcomed me into their office and made me feel at home for the whole duration of the internship. In the 8 weeks I worked here, I learned about many programming principles and programming languages. All of this with the help of the amazing employees working here, who are not only friendly, but also enthusiastic about their craft.
Me and my colleagues managed to make a web app during our time at TEC. This app is now in use at TEC and it has been such a great motivation knowing that we are working on a project that will later be used by real people, people we know.
I guess that what I am trying to say is that I would recommend working here to anyone. The employees are really nice people, the experience was great, we learned many things, we managed to practice what we learned and we become better developers overall.
Sergiu – sometimes you win, sometimes you learn
I thoroughly enjoyed my internship this summer at TEC: Digital Agency and have acquired very valuable experience.
At the beginning I was reluctant when it came to taking part in an internship, but this one changed my point of view.
The project me and the other interns have worked on has been practical and accessible and has helped us learn new things and work with state-of-the-art technologies.
The people and the atmosphere at the office were also really welcoming and any help required was granted to us without hesitation.
Overall, my experience as an intern at TEC: Digital Agency was an unforgettable one and really got me wanting to work with them as soon as possible.
In the end, everyone involved in the project felt like the 40 days these amazing people spent with us passed with the speed of light. We always try to find what is best in people, and, with Ioana, Timotei, Lucian, and Sergiu it was extremely easy to do so.
Never stop learning! -
#TECStories – Daniel Borobei
Hi, I’m Daniel, I was born on April’s fool day in Romania probably because the stork wanted to play a trick on me, not dropping me off in Italy as the initial plan was. Let me explain. Ever since I was born, I’ve been driving people crazy with my hand gestures and enthusiasm no matter the subject I was going in.
Then my frenzy for “Cucina Italiana”: fusilli, spaghetti, tortellini have always been my delight and weak spot, so much so that everytime me and my friends bet on something, they ask me to stay away from pasta for a week – I usually lose. For the record – I can cook as many as fourteen types of pasta with my eyes closed and people report finger-licking experiences. I also have a whole ritual of breakfast that involves a particular type of brewed cappuccino, mozzarella di buffola with tomatoes and sometimes a spread of pesto which I love to share.
Just like any Italian, I’m crazy about football. That’s not to say that Romanians are not, but I think I am taking it a bit further – afterall, I broke a TV once when my team lost, you know.
My friends call me excessively trim and fashionable, a shirt always makes me feel in my element. I tend to overdress most of the time and people sometimes frown upon it but hey, it’s the Italian in me who wants to come out.
What fascinates me the most about Italians is the cult of the sturdy, well-done work, whether it’s a building or a bridge, a suit or a song. I guess that’s why I really love my job as a quality assurance engineer here in TEC, because I can pull strings and tweak things to make the end result just perfect.
That’s me in a nutshell. Ping me if you doubt my cooking skills and want proof of it or if you want to lose a football or a tennis match :P. I am quite competitive by nature, extroverted, hyperactive and a bit crazy but I can be a good colleague and friend.
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Racing through The 149th Open
A sneak peek into a 4-day event that takes a year’s worth of work
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TEC: Agency renew digital partnership with The R&A
TEC: Agency are delighted to announce the renewal of their partnership with The R&A which sees the live sports and events technology specialists provide digital support for TheOpen.com for the fourth consecutive year, teeing off this year on 15th July at Royal St Georges.
As the oldest and most prestigious of Golf’s Majors, The Open attracts huge global interest with the event’s website, custom built by TEC: Agency, serving more than 7m unique visitors during the last playing of the Championship at Royal Portrush in 2019. The website also handled more than 2bn leaderboard requests across the four days.
TEC: Agency were first contracted by The R&A in 2018 to build a new scoring and statistics engine for use on TheOpen.com and The Open app. The collaboration worked so well that TEC: Agency’s remit was expanded, and they now oversee the ongoing management and maintenance of the entire website, and all supporting technical infrastructure, including the content delivery network and streaming management.
Commenting on the collaboration with TEC: Agency, Karen Lyttle, Head of Digital Technology at The R&A said:
“We are thrilled to continue this partnership as we know we’re in safe hands with TEC: Agency! The digital experience of this historic Championship is an increasingly important aspect of how we serve millions of fans around the world. Through our ongoing and innovative collaboration, TEC have not only helped us deliver best in class digital ticketing and scoring platforms, they have helped ensure our digital presence is robust enough to cope with the huge demand the tournament generates”.
TEC Agency Consulting Partner, Kevin Bain added:
“The collaboration between TEC: Agency and The R&A continues to go from strength to strength and we are looking forward to working with all the team at this year’s Open to ensure fans receive the best digital experience”
Headquartered in the city of Cluj-Napoca, in northwest Romania, TEC: Agency are experts in the provision of bespoke digital services for the live sports and events industry, combining data, technology, engineering and innovation to deliver world-class solutions for their customers. In addition to The R&A, where they have successfully supported both The Open and the AIG Women’s Open, recent projects include creating a new data architecture for GBI Racing, the joint venture between Britain’s two premier horse racing channels and building a ticketing platform for Untold, one of the largest dance music festivals in Europe, with over 400,000 visitors every year.
For more information on the TEC: Agency and how we can meet your digital challenge, please contact us at hello@tecss.com.
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#TECStories – Gabriela Pricop
Hi, I’m Gabi, I’m the ginger girl inside TEC. I’m your ‘typical’ – run – around – like – a – chicken – without – a – head – developer; that stresses herself out for the little things and tries to do everything in the same time, but who pulls through, eventually and miraculously.
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#TECStories – Alexandra Bichir
I’m the company’s learning and development nudger, internal broadcaster of news and updates, spirits lifter, incidents antenna, last-minute problem solver, all in all, the unofficial TEC’s mommy.
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tec:agency welcomes Kevin Bain as Consulting Partner
We are thrilled to have achieved a ‘hole-in-one’ on the recruitment front by enlisting the services of Kevin Bain.
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