CASE STUDY

Global Chemical Company Eliminates Contractor Wait Times

OVERVIEW

 

QLess helped a major chemical company solve a seemingly intractable problem by significantly reducing the time it takes to certify contractors to deliver its products. Instead of making contractors wait in line and waste valuable time, they simply use a kiosk, powered by QLess technology, to process their credentials.

KEY POINTS

  • Major chemical company was making contractors waste valuable time standing in line, leading to millions in lost revenue.
  • QLess allowed contractors to join virtual queues, meaning they could be productive until it was their turn in line. 

BUSINESS CHALLENGE

Few industries are as highly regulated as the chemicals industry. Concerns about environmental impact, worker safety, and domestic security have led to strict protocols for contractors who are responsible for transporting hazardous items.

As part of the process, all drivers must complete multiple forms and vehicle inspections that must be approved by the company before the drivers are permitted to leave the premise. This often leads to situations where drivers spend valuable time waiting in line rather than being on the road. Our customer needed a way to expedite this process to save substantial operating costs.

After looking at a number of options, DP World selected QLess as their partner to reduce these wait times and prevent congestion by implementing their vehicle booking system for terminal capacity management.

SOLUTION

Since mobile phones are not permitted in many parts of chemical-manufacturing facilities, using an electronic line-management system seemed like a daunting task.

"QLess permit queuing has reduced the amount of time between when our contractors arrive and when they begin work,"

– Operations Project Leader.

QLess looked at all of the customer’s needs and implemented a kiosk-based system to meet their specific requirements. Instead of waiting in long lines, contractors simply walk up to a bank of automated kiosks and apply for the proper permits. This not only reduces inefficiencies caused by contractors billing for waiting in line, but the QLess solution also allows the company to redeploy its resources more effectively by automating their formerly time-consuming, paper-based process.

RESULTS

The results of the initial implementation have been strong: reduced wait times, improved staff productivity, and the company lowered both its vehicle maintenance and operational costs.

"QLess has allowed us to reduce average wait times to 9 minutes and improve our average processing times by 46% saving us more than $7MM annually," said the Operations Project Leader.

Contractors and drivers have already noticed the improvement and are far more satisfied with the efficacy of the new process. In addition, the company gained valuable analytics that revealed operational obstacles to correct inefficiencies.

Empower your customers to wait wherever they want with QLess.