The challenge

Automating the work

Interport was looking to replace an error-prone and labor-intensive process of exchanging faxes and answering customer questions by telephone with a web application. They sought to reduce the burden of basic information requests for their customer support team, as well as increase their ability to view real-time yard inventory and container move metrics.

The goal was to provide better customer service to container owners, lessors, and shipping lines by giving secure, 24x7 access to detailed information about container inventory, repair estimates and status. It was also important that we integrate the new web application with Interport’s existing custom ERP system in order to share real-time data.

We developed a custom Ruby on Rails web application to help Interport more efficiently serve customers and conduct daily business tasks, including the development of a mobile application to help streamline gate-in and gate-out container moves. Built to run on ruggedized hardware, this mobile application is in constant contact with the web application, but can also run by itself in the case of sporadic connectivity loss.

Steven J. Bernstein, President & CEO of Interport

The result

Phone calls from Interport's clients for routine information dropped dramatically after launch of the new web application. The company has been able to efficiently expand their business volume and diversity without adding additional staff, which directly contributes to the strong return on investment Interport has realized from this web application.

Key technologies

Ruby on Rails · Postgresql · Backbone. js