Portuguese Post Office Simplifies and Accelerates Customs Clearance Processes With OutSystems

Learn how CTT developed a new website in record time and achieved a 75 percent reduction in the duration of customs clearance processes and a sustained decrease in related claims.

"With OutSystems, we’re moving quickly and effectively, promoting the advantages of digital transformation at CTT."

Pedro Santos Gomes, IT Director at CTT

Slow Processes Causing Hold-Ups and Frustrated Customers

Challenge - CTT (Correios de Portugal) is the Universal Postal Service provider in Portugal. As a market leader in a sector that is being changed by digitization and e-commerce, CTT is in the process of a digital transformation. The aim is to improve the customer experience and to streamline processes, making more and better services available on the web and as mobile apps.

E-commerce, along with other factors, is causing the steady growth of inbound mail and parcels that require customs clearance processes. These processes were taking more time and requiring more resources from Customs and from CTT. Communications with customers were by email. This situation contributed to longer waits for the release of mail items, generating customer frustration and a large number of claims, damaging the brand.

OutSystems and DevOps to the Rescue

Solution - CTT decided to use OutSystems to develop a new website (embedded in the CTT portal) to manage the customs clearance processes. CTT had already used OutSystems for 12 projects, and six more were being implemented or were in the pipeline. By adopting agile and specific DevOps practices, CTT now completes projects in two weeks to four months, with straightforward deployments and strong adoption rates in the organization. OutSystems-powered projects enable CTT to improve customer digital experiences, optimize back-office performance, deliver web and mobile apps and portals, and improve governance and compliance.

New Web Portal Makes for Fast Processes and Happy Customers

Results - The new website to manage the customs clearance process took 4 developers 3 months to complete, down from an estimated eight months using previous development approaches.

The customs clearance process is now simplified and accelerated. It takes an average of 4 weeks (down from 8 weeks) to conclude a process, and “no issues” processes went from 4 weeks to 2 business days. Customs-clearance process-related claims are decreasing.

The new website has over 5,000 registered users, with user numbers increasing every day. The whole process is now traceable with registered, faster communications, which has reduced the average response time.