The most common cost drivers in a customs clearance are:
Analysis of flows and needs
Identify potential by analyzing import, export and possible return flows. Many companies fail to take advantage of the various free trade agreements that exist. The EU has free trade agreements with the UK, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Japan and Singapore etc.
Benchmark of current solution
Conduct a benchmark of needs and explore what relevant alternatives are available on the market. The purpose of a benchmark is to check the price and the solution used today. It is important to be open to change and curious to find the best solution!
Essential aspects to evaluate:
Digitalized and flexible solution
The logistics industry has undergone a major change in recent years and some innovative players now have really good digitalized solutions. It is important that the supplier handling customs clearance is at the forefront and has automated processes in place and that they offer the solutions that fit the current needs. This will mean faster processes and lower prices.
Flexible solution
In today's shipping market, it has become increasingly important to have a flexible solution. Many companies today use 3-4 different freight forwarders and transportation solutions to ship goods home from different parts of the world. Using a centralized and independent customs agent increases flexibility in the shipping solution and provides increased control of the customs documents.
Terms of delivery
It is important to have control over the current terms of transportation and the underlying reason why they are used. For example, if an operator uses the DDP delivery term, it should be vigilant about the customs costs it generates. A common mistake is the fact that customs duties are based on the value of the goods up to the EU border. A great potential therefore lies in splitting the freight cost up to the EU border and the freight cost within the EU in the import declaration.
E-trade and returns
Having good cost control over logistics is something all e-retailers know is important. An attractive calculation can be significantly impaired by returns or an unstructured customs handling process where costs increase and eliminate margins. It is of great importance to have an efficient process over export and any return flows required for e-commerce flows. For e-retailers in need of delivery and return solution, Logent Customs has a simple and effective solution that helps keep logistics costs down.
By engaging Logent Customs, the conditions are created not only for reducing costs but also increased profitability through Logent's approach and automated processes. As a partner with Logent, valuable expertise is also created internally in the company that can also contribute to issues regarding purchasing, logistics and finance.
If your company needs support in how the analysis should be done, you are warmly welcome to contact Logent Customs for a complete and free analysis. Logent ensures that you pay the right customs duties and gives your business concrete suggestions on how to improve efficiency and quality in customs handling.