Conta Container Depot
A container depot in Vietnam with 30 team members replaced their spreadsheet-based operations with Lotics. They now process approximately 500 containers and 3,000 documents per month with over 50 automated workflows. Gate operations time dropped by 70%.
The business
Conta operates a container depot in southern Vietnam, handling storage, gate operations, repair, and billing for shipping lines and logistics companies. The team of 30 spans gate operations, repair management, billing, and administration.
Monthly volume: approximately 500 containers moving through the depot and around 3,000 documents including gate-in/gate-out receipts, container inspection reports, repair orders, repair quotations, invoices, and shipping documents.
The problem
Operations ran on spreadsheets, paper forms, and manual coordination. Gate clerks filled out paper receipts for every container entering or leaving the depot. Inspection reports were handwritten. The repair team tracked jobs in a shared Excel file that frequently had version conflicts when multiple people edited it simultaneously.
The billing team spent 3 days each month compiling invoices. They pulled data from multiple spreadsheets, cross-referenced container movements with storage rates, and manually calculated charges for handling, storage, and repairs. Errors were common and time-consuming to resolve.
When a customer called to ask about a container's status, staff had to check multiple spreadsheets and sometimes walk to the yard to verify physically. There was no single source of truth. Information was scattered across files, paper forms, and people's memory.
The setup
The Lotics team configured the workspace during a free consultation. The entire setup took days, not months. No custom development was needed.
Tables were created for containers, customers, repair jobs, and billing. Each table had fields matching the depot's existing data: container number, size, owner, condition, location, arrival date, departure date, storage rates, and repair history.
Document templates were built for gate-in/gate-out receipts and repair quotations using HTML-to-PDF templates. The templates pull data directly from records, so gate clerks select a container and generate a receipt with one click instead of filling out a paper form.
Workflow automations were configured for status updates, notifications, and document generation. When a container arrives, the gate workflow creates a record, generates a gate-in receipt, and notifies the operations manager. When a repair is completed, a workflow updates the container status and generates an invoice line item.
Document processing
Gate clerks now photograph containers and upload inspection reports through Lotics. AI extracts the container number, condition assessment, and any damage descriptions. The data populates the container tracking table automatically.
If damage is detected, a workflow generates a repair estimate from an HTML template and sends it to the depot manager for approval. Once approved, another workflow generates a repair order and assigns it to the maintenance team.
The billing team uses Excel templates to generate monthly invoices for storage, handling, and repair charges. The template pulls line items from records, calculates totals with the correct rates, and produces a ready-to-send invoice. What previously took 3 days now completes in hours.
Results
Gate operations tasks that previously took 30 minutes now take under 10 minutes, a 70% reduction in time on routine paperwork.
The depot runs over 50 automated workflows handling daily operations without manual intervention. Workflows cover gate processing, inspection routing, repair management, billing preparation, customer notifications, and reporting.
Monthly billing that took the billing team 3 days now completes in hours. The invoices are generated from live data, so there are no discrepancies between the tracking system and the bills.
Customer inquiries about container status are answered instantly from the live database. No more checking multiple spreadsheets or walking to the yard.
| Metric | Before Lotics | After Lotics |
|---|---|---|
| Gate receipt processing | 30 minutes per container | Under 10 minutes |
| Monthly invoicing | 3 days | Hours |
| Automated workflows | 0 | 50+ |
| Documents processed/month | 3,000 (manual) | 3,000 (automated) |
| Container status lookup | Multiple spreadsheets + physical check | Instant from live database |
| Setup time | N/A | Days |
What made it work
The depot did not change how they operate. Lotics was configured around their existing workflow, not the other way around. Gate clerks still do gate-in and gate-out processing. The repair team still manages repair jobs. The billing team still owns invoicing. The difference is that the manual steps between these activities are now automated.
The AI assistant helped the team add new workflows and templates as their processes evolved. No developer involvement was needed at any point. The team continues to extend the system on their own.
