Client
Our customer is one of the leading marine and transport operators that stand out with its control of massive shipping globally. Our client operates major international trade routes with decades of experience in ship scheduling, cargo management, warehousing, and even coordination of customs. This organization that makes the logistics smooth and one that believes in the operational excellence across the global port network.
Challenges
The Client was dealing with complex tariff systems which had to be updated on a regular basis, depending on the type of vessel, quantity of cargo and duration of service. Nevertheless, the turnaround times became as long as 18 days, the billing errors were 18 percent and the turnaround rate was nearly 18 percent. Whenever a tariff change was necessary, the finance team needed to rely on IT support that was likely to average three to five days to implement the change. This did not only slow down responsiveness but also influenced accuracy and efficiency.
Solution
In a bid to overcome such challenges, we implemented Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, to facilitate and coordinate with a robust dynamic tariff management module to facilitate our operations. This is a full solution that will allow the finance teams to update their tariff master’s on a real-time basis and hence modify them immediately in case of a change in pricing structure or regulation.
Additionally, the generation of invoices is automated by the system based on the accepted logic of tariff, therefore, minimizing the workforce and minimizing the risks of error. As a measure to facilitate proper financial management, we have built sophisticated dashboards that provide an in-depth monitoring of the revenue sources and effective enforcement of the appropriate regulatory frameworks. This is an integrative strategy that does not only make our operations run more effectively but also increases our capacity to manage our finances generally.
Result
The results of this transformation were outstanding and immediate. Within months of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Implementation in the new system, the port operator experienced measurable operational and financial improvements:
| Key Metric | Before Implementation | After Implementation | Result |
| Invoice Processing Time | 5 days | 2 days | Reduced by 60%, enabling faster billing and cash flow. |
| Error Rate in Invoicing | 18% | Under 2% | Improved accuracy, minimizing disputes and manual corrections. |
| Tariff Update Duration | 3–5 days with IT dependency | Same-day updates by finance team | Full autonomy for finance team with no IT delays. |
| Annual Revenue Leakage | $250K lost annually | Eliminated | $250K annual savings, boosting profitability and control. |
These results ensured not only increased profitability but also increased the credibility of the port to its customers. This resulted in more rapid and precise billing and enhanced service charges transparency to customers – enhancing trust and long-term collaborations.
Conclusion
Organizations with complex tariff structures, billing cycles, and more are no longer able to afford to be selective about automation, as it is now a necessity. With the help of digitization and centralization of tariff management, businesses will be able to eliminate inefficiencies and minimize operational risks and get a great profit. When your organization still experiences the problem of manual tariff management or billing delays, it is time to make the next step to smarter and more efficient processes. We can assist you in making your business lean and efficient, as well as future-proofing.