The biggest port operator in Latin America streamline operations using an employee communications app

Santos Brasil is an award-winning logistics company, specialising in the streamlining of shipping container operations. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo. It is the biggest port operator in Latin America with five sea terminals in Brazil, the largest of which is at Santos. Santos is considered a benchmark in matters of efficiency in South America and holds the highest average MPH (movements per hour) handling 1 million containers per year.

With a diverse workforce of around 3,000 employees, many of whom do not have regular access to computers, Santos decided to invest in a mobile solution that would deliver operational benefitsas well as act as a platform for strategic internal communication. After assessing various options, the Santos team in Brazil selected Thrive (formerly known as TheAppBuilder) based on our track record, and we worked closely with them to develop their company app, VivaVoz.

Easy 24/7 Access to Operational Information Boosts Efficiency and Staff Happiness.

A major priority was to automate the dissemination of real time, personal shift information, as previously this was only available on notice boards inside the company, while employees would be informed of shift changes only by telephone. The VivaVoz App allows employees to access the latest ship operating information. Staff can access their work schedule prior to each shift so they know which vessels are operating, when the vessels arrival and departure times are due and what equipment an individual will be expected to operate together with its current location.

Allowing employees to check their shift information from home, and to receive updates about any shift changes, has provided a significant efficiency boost and cost saving for Santos Brasil as staff turnover and absenteeism decreases.  

A New Portal to all Santos Services.

As well as providing on-hand operations information and allowing effective communication between teams, the app also contains targeted corporate information and noteworthy news. The availability of timely and useful information, in ensuring that all employees are kept up to date, has improved employee engagement right across the business.

With secure data feeds from back end systems the App has become a portal for new HR services. The app’s HR service desk allows employees to claim travel and medical allowance, and to check that any overtime payments are accounted for. This further improves efficiency and provides a cost saving with front line HR support.

Knowledge Sharing Leading to Innovation. 

According to Santos’ Corporate Communications and Sustainability Manager, Beatice Dupuy, the company’s greatest challenge is to “foster a culture of innovation from a digital perspective in order to improve processes, products and services and add value to our clients, stakeholders and staff”. 

Since it’s launch in 2018, the app has become an integral part of the daily operations of the company. 

It has brought employees closer together and promoted effective knowledge sharing.  As their employees and leaders use the App to interact with each other their way of developing solutions to various challenges is also evolving.