Russia Launches Retail App That Lets Chains Ditch Consumer Messengers
Rostelekom has unveiled a new digital solution designed to help retail chains move beyond consumer messaging apps and spreadsheets. The corporate platform, Imredi, is positioned as a unified operational environment for store management, compliance checks and sales analytics – offering retailers a domestically developed alternative to tools that were never built for enterprise-grade retail control.
Keeps Retail Operations on Track
Imredi, part of the X.Technologies product cluster within PJSC Rostelekom, creates a single digital workspace for retail personnel. More than 70,000 employees across major retail chains are already using the platform, signaling early large-scale adoption.
At its core, Imredi is an IT product for monitoring and optimizing retail operations. It supports workforce planning, workload management, performance tracking and structured response to deviations from operational plans. The platform digitizes task flows and information exchange with stores, organizes inspections with built-in photo verification, and aggregates store-level data into a unified mobile workspace. For distributed retail networks, this replaces fragmented communication with structured process control.
Users can assign tasks, communicate via a built-in corporate chat and convert store inspection procedures into digital checklists. The system allows automated task generation when deviations from plan are detected. Imredi also monitors compliance, sends deadline reminders and flags discipline issues. In practice, it functions as both a coordination layer and an accountability engine.
Clear Advantages
One of Imredi’s main selling points is its ability to replace consumer messengers and Google Sheets, tools that many retail teams still rely on for internal coordination. Under regulatory and operational constraints, such tools cannot guarantee resilience or data security at scale. According to Rostelekom representatives, the platform can be deployed across an entire retail network within two to three weeks. It also supports offline functionality, allowing staff to continue working even without an internet connection – a critical feature for remote outlets.
By reorganizing workflows, digitizing task management and prioritizing requests, retailers can reportedly double the supervisory span of control. Store personnel can free up to 22% of their working time for activities directly tied to sales performance. The unified mobile workplace simplifies daily operations at store level while making network-wide management more transparent and measurable.
With Imredi, store administrators can structure processes around operational standards, merchandising and sales management, increase product availability for customers and run promotional campaigns more efficiently.
Toward Security and Operational Independence
The rollout of Imredi reflects a broader push to digitize business processes within Russian companies and reduce reliance on foreign digital services. The development aligns with the trend toward transitioning enterprises to domestic software under sanctions and regulatory constraints. By relying on Russian-built platforms, companies aim to reduce exposure to data leaks, service disruptions or external blocking risks. At the same time, centralized digital coordination enables more efficient personnel management and process control, allowing employees to redirect time toward revenue-generating tasks.
Today, more than 70,000 employees across major retail chains use the platform, underscoring its market traction. In the near term, Imredi is expected to expand further within large retail networks. Specialists can integrate the application with other corporate systems and extend its functionality.
There is also potential for integration into Russia’s broader state-backed digital ecosystems. At present, the platform is tailored to the domestic market and complies with national regulatory requirements. Over the longer term, adaptation for CIS countries or other markets where Russian companies operate remains possible.
