MIRAR the Media Asset Management System

Media Asset Management

Customer opinions:: "The time and cost savings resulting from MIRAR are self-evident"
As a subsidiary of Rickmers, the shipping company rich in tradition, ATLANTIC was launched successfully on the market in 1998. With this, ATLANTIC gained maritime know-how, based on 170 years of seafaring history.

Mr Harms, Marketing Manager of ATLANTIC

Gesellschaft zur Vermittlung internationaler Investitionen mbH & Co. KG (Agency for international investment) gave us an interview regarding the implementation of Image and Media Database MIRAR.

Mr Harms, you have now been using MIRAR, the image and media database, since March 2004. How satisfied are you?

Oliver Harms: The database used by ATLANTIC totally meets our requirements. The required functions, which we defined in advance in the form of a requirements catalogue, have been superbly implemented by be.beyond. After a test phase, during which the database was configured and adapted to the existing network infrastructure, we started entering our data inventory – almost exclusively images. As yet there have been no problems handling the database.

Who uses your database (internal and external)?

Oliver Harms: Internally, we in the marketing department primarily use the database as we work with image files almost daily and have to access them quickly and easily. Also, we have some external service providers – advertising and PR agencies with who we are in close contact – which access to the database over the internet makes possible. The access control is made secure through integrated authorisation administration based on users and groups. So only people authorised by us can view the media and use the authorised functions. Security has the highest priority for us!

Could you briefly describe which work processes have been simplified by MIRAR?

Oliver Harms: Since the implementation of MIRAR at ATLANTIC the workflow between us and our external service providers is much more efficient. One example: Our advertising agency needs images from us for a new emissions brochure. Previously, the work process was as follows: The images from different CDs, which had first to be found in drawer XY had to be copied onto a new blank CD and finally sent to the agency per courier.

Now, the agency simply helps itself – the graphic designer downloads the required images from the database. Whoever is not registered as a user in the database gets an email from us in which the images we want to make available can be directly retrieved per link. We do this often with enquiries from sales partners. The time and cost savings resulting from MIRAR I think are self-evident.

In detail, which faults and problems no longer occur since the implementation of MIRAR?

Oliver Harms: Before the implementation of MIRAR we often had the problem of not being able to solve the copyright question regarding an image. In short, we often weren’t sure whether an image was property of ATLANTIC and if not, who owns the rights and how expensive is it to use the image? With MIRAR we can store all information regarding the rights of use directly with each image.

Mr Harms, if possible, could you tell us how much time is saved in your company through the implementation of MIRAR?

Oliver Harms: It depends on each situation. Let’s take the example that I mentioned before: Images for a brochure have to be delivered to our advertising agency. The time taken collating the individual files, burning the CD and sending the data per courier often took between 1 to 2 hours. With MIRAR such tasks can be completed within a few minutes.

How satisfied are you with the services of Be.Beyond GmbH & Co.KG?

Oliver Harms: We are completely and totally satisfied with the service. The installation and configuration of the database was carried out professionally. The timeframe aimed for was adhered to. It only took a short call or email and any questions were always answered proficiently. Especially positive is the general improvement and new functions of MIRAR that have been developed over time by be.beyond and have been subsequently implemented into our database – free-of-charge! The friendly contact with the be.beyond personnel is always fun and rounds off the whole business. We have definitely made the right choice!

Mr Harms, thank you for your time.

Contact details:

ATLANTIC
Gesellschaft zur Vermittlung
Internationaler Investitionen mbH & Co. KG

Neumühlen 19
22763 Hamburg / Deutschland

Tel.: +49 (0)40 38 91 77 900
Fax: +49 (0)40 38 91 77 990
E-Mail: info@atlantic-fonds.de
http://www.atlantic-fonds.de