Don't be fooled by the Brexit myth that dominated January 2021: struggling to navigate international trade processes is not new.
Helping new clients correct and complete rushed requests for trade services is lost time, both for shippers and logistics service providers. This applies to customs clearance, but also other services like freight forwarding, haulage, bank guarantees, letters of credit, and more.
Perhaps in an ideal world, all shippers could implement all-encompassing ERP software that issued correct, complete requests automatically. But the vast majority of trading companies do not have the resources to do so; and more fundamentally, their business processes are not static enough to make that a possibility.
Assuming you have the resources, as a freight forwarder, you might decide to open a portal for your customers to enter information straight into your own systems. But unless you are their sole service provider, it is unlikely a shipper is going to invest in transforming things into your bespoke format. In short, you are likely to have to do the work for them, meaning disproportionate costs in developing new client relationships. Such costs would be crippling unless you were guaranteed every new client became a long term loyal customer.
We have created a platform where shippers can send you pre-checked requests of a higher quality, whether they are new or longstanding clients. This saves time and money for you and them. Your margins are not cut razor-thin in an anonymous marketplace. You will get to know their business and the individuals you deal with better, as well as smoothly integrating your processes with theirs.
We are helping trade service providers in the UK now. Contact us to see how we can help you too.
Photo by Museums Victoria on Unsplash