Beyond E-Commerce: The Next Frontier of Instant Service Approvals

In the heart of London, a retail manager demonstrates how modern service really works. A customer walks into a store with a broken smartphone and walks out just 15 minutes later with a replacement device. No paperwork. No waiting. No red tape.

Driving this transformation is Olha Panchuk, a Ukrainian entrepreneur and founder of Smart Protect Group. Drawing on her 25 years of experience in banking, insurance, and retail, she tackled one of the biggest pain points in customer service — the long lag between request and resolution.

Today, Smart Protect is deployed in over 7,000 retail stores worldwide, serving more than half a million customers. From the UK to India, companies are adopting the technology, and Olha has become a recognized expert in service transformation.

The Career of a Trailblazer

Olha Panchuk began her professional journey in 1996 at UkrSocBank, where she was responsible for credit application assessments. It was there she realized how detrimental decision-making delays could be for clients’ businesses.

A pivotal moment came during her time as a branch director at MetLife (2007–2011), where she saw first-hand the massive delays between insurance claims and payouts — particularly painful in the mobile device segment, where customers could be without phones for weeks.

In 2013, she founded Smart Protect to deliver a new approach to servicing mobile device owners. International expansion kicked off in 2020 with the creation of a holding company, Farias Ltd. By 2021, Smart Protect had launched in the UK, followed by Kazakhstan in 2022, and India and Bangladesh in 2023.

Smart Protect: Revolutionizing Customer Service

At the heart of Smart Protect lies an automated decision-making system built on a microservices architecture. Its key enabler is an integration platform that connects all parts of the service process — from retail stores and service centers to warehouses and financial systems — in real time.

The platform comprises five core modules:

1. Customer Agreement Module – automates the creation and management of service contracts.
    

2. Request Management Module – handles customer inquiries in real time.
    

3. Device Tracking Module – monitors each device by its unique IMEI code.
    

4. Reporting & Financial Analytics Module – provides actionable business intelligence.
    

5. Workflow Builder – allows process customization without coding.
    

All communications are secured with 40-bit encryption, and flexible APIs enable integration with partner systems in weeks rather than the months typically required for enterprise software deployments.

The impact is striking. Service times are slashed from several days to just 15 minutes. UK partners reported an average 35-point increase in Net Promoter Score (NPS) post-implementation. Operational costs per request dropped by 40–50%.

"One of our partners saw a 70% drop in fraudulent claims thanks to automated data verification. In Kazakhstan, a client was able to reduce spare inventory by a third without compromising service speed," Olha shares.

Global Expansion: Thinking Beyond Borders

Rather than expanding to neighboring countries first, Smart Protect took an unconventional route — starting with the UK.

"We decided that if we’re aiming to be a global player, we should begin with the most challenging markets," Olha explains.

The UK launch came with surprises: customers were demanding when it came to UI but open to automation. The team had to significantly rework the customer interface.

In Kazakhstan, Smart Protect found an ideal market — a high concentration of premium smartphones and underdeveloped service infrastructure.

Each market taught valuable lessons: the Indian experience led to the creation of an offline mode, while Kazakhstan spurred the development of predictive spare parts demand forecasting.

Transforming Industries Through Instant Decisions

Smart Protect’s most visible impact has been in electronics retail. What used to be a complex, multi-step device replacement process is now fast and seamless.

"Retailers report a 20–30% increase in sales of add-on services post-implementation. When customers see how fast the system works, they’re far more likely to buy insurance or extended warranties," Olha notes.

The banking sector is next on Smart Protect’s radar. The company is developing a solution for automating secured loan approvals.

"Banks spend days evaluating collateral. Our tech can cut that down to minutes — especially for standardized assets like cars or consumer electronics," says Olha.

In telecom, the platform helps carriers automate SIM card and equipment replacements, dramatically reducing in-store service times.

"The future of service lies in proactive solutions. Systems shouldn’t just respond quickly — they should anticipate issues and offer solutions before the customer even recognizes the need," Olha envisions.

Tech Leadership from Ukraine

Ukrainian tech solutions are gaining recognition globally, and Smart Protect is a standout success.

"Our edge is doing more with less. We can't afford years of development and million-dollar budgets, so we find creative, efficient solutions," Olha explains.

Unlike tech giants that offer bulky, generic platforms, Smart Protect focuses on a single, critical problem — service speed — and solves it better than anyone else.

Eastern European developers bring a unique mindset to tech innovation: a blend of rigorous technical training from post-Soviet education systems and a results-driven, adaptive mentality forged in resource-limited environments.

Overcoming Crisis, Adapting to Change

The onset of full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022 was a major stress test for Smart Protect, with many of its developers based in Kyiv.

Even as clients in the UK, India, and Kazakhstan continued relying on the system, the company had to rapidly restructure its IT infrastructure — migrating critical systems to the cloud and setting up distributed support teams.

"The war taught us how to operate under total uncertainty. We created crisis protocols for every division and every market," says Olha.

"The biggest crisis management lesson? Preparation beats reaction. If you have a clear plan for the worst-case scenario, you stay calm and think clearly when it actually happens."

What’s Next for Smart Protect

Olha sees the company’s future in expanding into predictive services.

"The next phase is systems that don’t just fix issues quickly — they prevent them altogether. We're working on algorithms that can predict device failures and recommend proactive replacements," she says.

Geographically, the company is eyeing new territories in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The UAE and Singapore — regional financial and tech hubs — are of particular interest.

"We’re also exploring new industries. Our tech applies anywhere fast, data-driven decision-making is needed — from healthcare to the automotive sector," Olha adds.

Conclusion

Olha Panchuk’s journey with Smart Protect is proof that a Ukrainian innovation can win on the world stage. Her success is rooted in three pillars: a precise understanding of customer pain points, deep industry expertise, and the agility to adapt quickly.

For entrepreneurs in emerging markets, Olha’s story is living proof that you don’t need massive investments to go global. A strong idea and relentless execution often matter more than a million-dollar budget.

Thanks to companies like Smart Protect, the world is rethinking what fast service really means. No one wants to wait weeks for something that can be resolved in 15 minutes. Much like smartphones replaced flip phones, there’s no turning back. The same revolution is now unfolding in customer service — and businesses that fail to adapt risk being left behind.