Motivation: To be more agile, responsive and surpass the service being offered by our competitors.

Innovation: A solution that could be used as a competitive tool and allows the better management of companywide data

Solution: Microsoft’s Dynamic CRM Solution.

With major operations in Trinidad, the company faces aggressive competitors at nearby ports across the region as well as the more tech savvy ports as far away as Europe, West Africa and the Western side of the Caribbean Sea.

The company saw opportunities for expanding operations as Trinidad’s chemical export and cargo trans-shipment sectors continued to expand. This expansion however, placed and additional burden on the small firm with an office staff of just four (4).

Ventrin’s revenue base had quadrupled since 2002, when they expanded operations into Trinidad’s major industrial port at Point Lisas. In April 2006 the firm leased a ship tanker – the first of its kind in Trinidad and Tobago. This made it possible to refuel vessels offshore – improving Ventrin’s flexibility to deliver fuel and save possible port charges for larger vessels on inter-continental voyages.

“This success generated a tremendous flow of data and information. We wanted to better manage this data as well as use it as a competitive tool for our business” said Karon Fernando – Marketing Analyst, Ventrin.

“With our small staff and a client base of just fifty (50), we do not fit the traditional image most executives have of an operation that requires a customer relationship management (CRM) solution. But the growth in business and the complexity of the needs of our new customers require that we have access to information quickly. The only way to meet this need was to apply a technology solution,” added Sharon Mottley – Chief Marketing Officer.

Ventrin uses Microsoft Dynamics CRM Solution to keep track of their entire customer fulfillment process. The sales staff has access to all the relevant information from credit arrangements, to fuel specifications and pricing. They are able to offer quotations instantly or in a few minutes (a process that originally took them several hours).

The newly implemented CRM solution is expected to play an even greater role in the future of the company as Ventrin has finalised a deal with the Point Lisas Port Manager, PLIPDECO, to expand its fuel pipeline network and storage capabilities on the port. This will allow larger vessels carrying industrial commodities and chemicals to be bunkered on port while they are receiving their cargo.

It means a speedy turnover for shippers and will allow them to realise significant savings in time and port charges.

This new deal will expand Ventrin’s customer base, adding to the volume of information and requiring more savvy management tools. The transition and expansion would not be an easy task were it not for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Solution.