Seapeak: Improving processes and driving customer retention

Why did Seapeak want change?

As Seapeak have grown, they have historically approached scalability via replication of processes and systems for individual ships and teams. This has resulted in disparate systems and large amounts of data which were disconnected and challenging to locate. As a business this started to cause:

• Increased reliance on email and inbox as driver/determiner of daily workflow and tasks
• Reduced productivity as staff were duplicating information across every team
• Slow response time, lack of visibility to their ships and access to documentation they require to run their business
• Inability to connect data and make proactive informed decisions in reducing claims and tracking conversions

With these challenges, Seapeak team in Glasgow wanted a solution that would allow them to:

• Generate insights and actionable items that will allow them to be proactive and reduce reliance on emails
• Enhance Data Sharing and Knowledge management
• Connect Disparate Systems
• Increase communication and prioritisation
• Reduce claims and diversions
• Improve customer relations

What was the innovation?

Seapeak engaged OniGroup to identify and solve the largest challenges and generate an innovative solution that connects both staff and customers. Through the utilisation of Google Cloud Platform & Google Maps Platform, OniGroup generated a portal that consolidated all data sets into a unified location. This portal now enables them to conduct advanced analysis of benchmarked data, and for the data to be served to staff and customers in an easy and intuitive way.

Through ingesting Seapeak data into Google Cloud Platform, we were able to connect their disparate systems through Cloud Pub Sub, Data Flow and Cloud Storage. Once in Google Cloud, we will use BigQuery to benchmark the information with location based data from Google Maps to allow them to make proactive decisions. The linking of the ships location and next voyage legs through Google Maps and BigQuery will mean that Seapeak is able to proactively analyse:

• When ships deviate from the selected route, allowing Seapeak to track deviations to better manage claims
• Monitor and manage boil-off versus warranted rate
• Benchmark when the ship is under or over performing and budget for that voyage.
• Manage complex data on vessels previously too time consuming to share

What did OniGroup achieve?

Google Cloud Platform provided the flexibility for us to deliver a tool that enabled Seapeak staff to focus on the operation of the ship and customer service rather than replicating data. Having the right data available, generating proactive insights and connecting it to locations has allowed them to:

• Staff use insights and action items to drive work flow
• Save each staff member multiple hours in productivity
• Increase customer satisfaction and help drive retention
• In the future, reduce port stay costs by selecting more efficient ports, saving up to thousands of pounds per day

Through connecting systems in Google Cloud Platform and analysing them with Location Services, OniGroup has allowed Seapeak to transform their company and enable them to scale farther and faster than ever thought, and most importantly without any increase operational expenditure.