The Challenge
After merging three port operators, the client was running 18 disconnected systems that couldn’t scale. Every terminal had its own tools, workflows, and blind spots, making it nearly impossible to coordinate labor, equipment, and cargo to keep vessels moving.
Teams relied on spreadsheets, phone calls, and manual tracking just to move containers and schedule crews. Basic reports took days. Billing dragged for a week or more. And every delay slowed vessel turnaround, tied up resources at the gates, and cost revenue.
Leadership knew the current setup couldn’t keep pace. They needed a unified system that could support real-time decisions without halting day-to-day operations.
Our Solution
Quandary Consulting Group built a custom ERP system with Quickbase to unify scheduling, logistics, labor management, and asset tracking across the port. This replaced the client’s disconnected spreadsheets, emails, and legacy systems with a single operational platform.
The scope included applications for workforce scheduling, container movement, inventory control, asset check-in and check-out, and preventative maintenance logging. All workflows were tailored to reflect how port teams actually worked in the field.
Low-code development built enabled fast and adaptable delivery under real operational pressure. The platform allowed us to build quickly, adapt to feedback, and avoid the long delays and overhead associated with traditional software development.
Key Features:
- Executive Dashboard: Gives leadership a live view of vessel schedules, throughput, and terminal activity to make faster decisions across the port.
- Terminal Operation Reports (TOR): Automatically pulls data into a standardized format aligned with billing, reducing manual reporting time.
- Labor and Scheduling Integration: Manages union workflows in one system to avoid conflicts and delays.
- Shift-Level Production Logging: Tracks AOMs and container moves for supervisors in real time without lag.
- Asset Tracking: Teams check equipment check-in/out via scanner, cutting loss, duplication, and downtime.
- Preventative Maintenance Tracker: Schedules port vehicle maintenance to prevent breakdowns that cause delays.
- Operational Scorecard: Aggregates performance data across vessels and terminals to highlight trends and identify areas for improvement.
- ERP Integration: Syncs operations data directly with NetSuite to eliminate double entry and speed up billing.
Our Process
We delivered the system in two-week sprints, starting with the areas causing the most operational friction. The client stayed deeply involved throughout: testing, validating, and shaping each release based on real-world use.
Key Steps:
- Mapped the client's infrastructure, data flows, and operational pain points through a full discovery
- Used the legacy system as a reference to decide what to rebuild, redesign, or eliminate
- Built each Quickbase app with direct input from field teams, supervisors, and managers
- Focused initial sprints on high-friction tasks like production logging and workforce scheduling
- Validated each release through live walkthroughs and on-site feedback before moving to the next phase
- Added new modules based on what surfaced during real usage, not just upfront planning
The Roadblocks
Rolling out new workflows in a busy port environment meant asking dozens of people to change their work processes, all while vessels were still in operation. Each application affected day-to-day tasks, and adoption required hands-on support to take hold.
We worked directly with supervisors and field managers during onboarding. That included building walkthroughs, creating process guides, and adjusting tools based on how they were actually used in the field.
The technical environment added another layer of complexity. The port relied on 18 separate systems with overlapping data, conflicting fields, and inconsistent formats. We had to connect the right sources without creating duplication, drift, or extra manual work.
The Toolstack
- Quickbase: Core low-code platform used to build all operational apps, from scheduling to maintenance, enabling rapid development and field-driven iteration
- Azure: Provided secure, scalable infrastructure to support integrations and data flow between tools
- peakSUITE Document Generator: Automated Terminal Operation Reports using live data, eliminating manual formatting and delays
Integrated with:
- Oracle NetSuite: Synced operational data into the ERP to reduce re-entry and speed up billing
- TCP Software: Pulled in timekeeping data to improve labor scheduling and shift-level accuracy
- Power BI: Visualized real-time port performance for exec teams, turning raw data into fast decisions.
The Results
The new system gave the client real-time visibility and control across daily port operations. Tasks that once required days of emails, spreadsheets, and phone calls now occur on a single platform with live dashboards and automated workflows much faster.
Billing cycles were reduced from 7–10 days to under 48 hours. Time entry and union labor scheduling are managed in a single, connected system. Supervisors log equipment usage and AOMs directly, cutting errors and manual rework.
Preventive maintenance is now automated for hundreds of vehicles. Equipment is scanned in and out, reducing duplication and loss. Leadership can track operational trends across terminals and seasons to make faster, more informed decisions.
Key Results:
- Cut billing time from 10 days to under 48 hours
- Reduced asset loss through scanner-based tracking
- Centralized union labor scheduling
- Automated vehicle maintenance across the port
- Real-time dashboards improved executive decisions
- Surfaced performance trends across terminals and seasons
Client Overview:
A stevedoring and port services provider operating at one of the busiest container ports in the United States. The client manages vessel operations, cargo handling, and gate services across multiple terminals.
Industry: Marine terminal operations and logisticsLocation: Southeastern United StatesSize: 200-500 employees
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