Customs clearance delays aren’t just frustrating for your clients — they’re a pain point for your organization, too, and they can impact your bottom line. And now, with the many Brexit-related import and export changes, it can be even harder to keep track of regulations and customs paperwork requirements.
It begs the question: Should you try to handle customs processing in-house, or should you outsource to a business process outsourcing (BPO) partner that offers customs clearance services?
Handling everything in-house means your team members end up shouldering more of a burden and spending valuable time on correcting errors. Partnering with a trusted customs brokerage processing partner is a solution that will offer you deep industry knowledge that will reduce errors and customs clearance time, save you time and, most importantly, help you focus on strengthening client relationships.
Here’s how the right BPO partner can boost your bottom line and your reputation.
Outsourcing your customs brokerage processing to an experienced BPO organization gives you access to specialized expertise and up-to-date industry knowledge that helps reduce errors and customs clearance time. In turn, this enables you to build trust with customers and saves you time and resources.
Common errors that can cause customs delays include:
When you partner with an experienced BPO, you can be confident these errors won’t occur — and therefore, won’t slow you down.
Many companies are seeing an increase in delays and errors as a result of Brexit-related confusion. In fact, 67% of transport and logistics industry executives report post-Brexit delays from third-party suppliers/brokers, and 53% report an increase in goods held by customs.
Key Brexit-related complications include:
A BPO organization that offers customs brokerage processing services will monitor any regulatory changes, including post-Brexit developments, and make adjustments if necessary to reduce delays as much as possible. With the right BPO partner, you can be confident that your customs paperwork will be processed correctly, even as Brexit continues to cause disruptions.
Your customs brokerage processing partner should feel like an extension of your team, have at least ten years of experience in the industry, and be able to provide referrals and testimonials.
Qualities to seek out include:
Getting shipments through customs quickly is crucial for you and your customers. Handling customs paperwork in-house — especially with all the post-Brexit requirements — can be a huge challenge. Outsource your customs brokerage processing to an experienced BPO partner to reduce errors and clear shipments faster while also reducing workload for your in-house team.