Executive Summary
The Claims Management module replaces that experience with a structured digital workflow. Customers submit claims through a guided three-stage wizard with mandatory evidence upload. Claim administrators review from a prioritised dashboard, request additional documents, issue settlement offers, and advance approved claims to enterprise processing systems — with email notifications at every transition and a shared status lifecycle visible to both parties.
Business value delivered: Faster claim intake, complete evidence on first submission, transparent resolution, and auditable handoff to back-office systems.
The Customer Problem
Traditional cargo claim handling creates friction during an already difficult customer moment:
| Challenge | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Unstructured email submissions | Claims handlers manually extract data from narrative descriptions |
| Incomplete evidence | Missing B/L copies, invoices, or survey reports trigger days of document-chasing |
| No status visibility | Customers repeatedly call or email to ask "where is my claim?" |
| Email-based settlement negotiation | Offers, acceptances, and disputes lack structured audit trail |
| Manual enterprise re-entry | Approved claims re-keyed into back-office systems, introducing delay and error |
| No admin prioritisation | Handlers work from unstructured inboxes rather than prioritised queues |
The result: extended resolution timelines, high administrative overhead, and damaged customer trust at the moment the carrier most needs to demonstrate reliability.
The Solution
Claims Management operates as a dedicated portal connected to the main platform through shared authentication:
User Journey
Customer Submission
| Stage | Action | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enter company details, incident description, cargo information | Claim draft with unique reference |
| 2 | Upload required evidence — B/L, invoice, packing list, claim statement | Documents stored and linked |
| 3 | Review summary and submit | Status → Pending Review; confirmation email sent |
| 4 | Monitor claim in dashboard | Ongoing status visibility |
| 5 | (If requested) Submit additional documents | Claim returns to review queue |
| 6 | (If offered) Accept or dispute settlement | Claim advances to settled or dispute status |
Administrator Review
| Action | Trigger | Customer Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Request additional documents | Incomplete evidence | Email notification with specific document list |
| Issue settlement offer | Claim assessed | Email with offer terms; accept/dispute in portal |
| Reject claim | Claim not valid | Email with documented reason; claim closed |
| Submit to enterprise system | Claim approved | Status → Submitted; back-office processing begins |
| Assign handler | Workload management | Claim routed to responsible administrator |
Key Capabilities
Guided Three-Stage Submission Wizard
Structured progression with draft persistence across sessions. Customers complete submissions over multiple visits without data loss.
Mandatory Evidence Enforcement
Required documents specified upfront: bills of lading (front and back), shipper invoices, packing lists, formal claim statements. File type and size validation before storage.
Defined Status Lifecycle
Pending Review → Documents Required → Settlement Offered → Settled / Rejected / Submitted to Enterprise System / Dispute Raised / Closed. Shared visibility for customers and administrators.
Administrator Dashboard
Filtered, searchable, paginated view of all claims. Prioritised queue management for claim handlers.
Document Request Workflow
Administrators select specific additional documents; customers fulfil via dedicated submission screen linked to their claim.
Settlement Offer and Dispute
Structured offer with documented terms. Customer accepts (settled) or disputes (returned to review). All actions timestamped.
Enterprise System Handoff
Approved claims with enriched data submit to enterprise processing systems — closing the loop between digital intake and back-office resolution.
Cross-Platform Single Sign-On
Seamless transition from shipment management to claims filing without re-authentication.
Claim Administrator Management
Dedicated roles for inviting, activating, and managing claim handler accounts with appropriate access boundaries.
Functional Workflow
System Interactions
| Layer | Role |
|---|---|
| Claims Portal | Submission wizard, customer dashboard, admin review dashboard, settlement/dispute actions |
| Customer Portal | Entry point, single sign-on bridge, navigation links from booking context |
| Integration Platform | Claim lifecycle, document storage, email notifications, status transitions, enterprise handoff |
| Content Management | Claims FAQ, policy pages, terms linked from wizard and confirmation emails |
| External Services | Cloud document storage, email delivery, enterprise claims processing system |
Business Outcomes
| Outcome | Impact |
|---|---|
| Faster processing | Structured submissions with required evidence reduce document-chasing cycles |
| Reduced manual effort | Digital intake eliminates email extraction; enterprise handoff removes re-entry |
| Better customer experience | Guided submission and status visibility during a stressful post-incident process |
| Improved visibility | Shared lifecycle eliminates "what is the status?" enquiries |
| Audit compliance | Every action, upload, and status transition logged with timestamps |
| Settlement transparency | Structured offer/dispute workflow creates documented negotiation record |
Technical Highlights
- Dedicated portal architecture isolating claims workflow while sharing platform services
- Multi-stage draft persistence spanning multiple sessions
- Flexible workflow state model supporting multiple administrative action types
- Secure document handling with validation, size limits, and cloud storage
- Role-based access restricting admin capabilities to authorised claim handlers
- Cross-domain single sign-on for seamless platform transition
- Enterprise integration routing approved claims with enriched structured data
Conclusion
Claims Management completes the Partner Shipping customer lifecycle — from schedule discovery and booking through tracking and, when needed, dispute resolution. By transforming opaque email chains into a structured, transparent digital workflow, Container Shipping demonstrates reliability at the moment customers most need it.