Advantages of Having an Honest Customs Broker

Advantages of Having an Honest Customs Broker

Professionalism and Integrity have always been an imperative aspect in every industry. In trading business, it is an utmost priority to choose an honest and capable customs brokerage firm to ensure that the import and export operations are done diligently and legitimately. Likewise, getting your shipments abroad or on the local shores without worrying about legal and ethical dilemmas is the core purpose of why customs brokerage are here to be present.

Check our thoughts below and see why a truthful and straight to the point customs brokerage company is going to be your greatest ally in your import and/or export business.

  1. They Will Take Proper Care of Shipping All Your Products
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A genuine customs broker makes sure that all of your freights will arrive at your local warehouse on-time and with no legal requirements bypassed. A legitimate customs brokerage firm ensures that you are complying with various Customs Regulations. If these regulations are neglected or avoided, it may cause time delay on delivering the shipments, or worst, get the shipments confiscated by customs authorities.

If you leave your customs responsibilities to a non-seasoned and incapable customs broker, you might just be surprised to see your products all piled up in the port- seized by authorities, and you ending up paying a large sum of penalties or even face criminal liabilities, which can taint the reputation of your company.

An honest customs broker, aside from assisting you with all legal requirements, will give you advice on additional up-to-date Customs compliance on constantly changing trade rules and security requirements- thus protecting your business against costly penalties and customs audits.

  1. They Allow Your Company to Retain More Money Than Losing It.
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Basically, doing the customs responsibilities in-house requires having various hardware and software to carry out the task. In addition, these installations will also incur periodical maintenance cost and other associated overhead related to having an in-house Customs expert. A customs broker firm who is dedicated to serving its clients truthfully and to the full extent is equipped with various programs and technology to help you perform your import and export task or communicate with Customs officials.

Also, although it is the basic duty of a customs broker to steer your company clear of shipments problems, they will also seek out and take advantage of applicable trade agreements opportunities. Trade agreements like ASEAN, JPEPA, and EFTA free trade agreement can reduce shipping duties and taxes, allowing your company to retain more money.

 

  1. An Honest Customs Broker Will Tell You Which Goods They Specializes In
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Truth to be told, some customs brokerage companies today doesn’t mind the type of product that your company is shipping. Having said that, it is important to get an honest customs broker that will tell what kind of products they specialize in or is at least familiar with the goods you’re shipping. For instance, if you’re shipping electronic components for export, you don’t want a broker a broker that mostly handles household commodities.

If your customs broker is honest with you, they will tell you right ahead that they are not yet capable handling the product you want to ship, but given that a professional relationship has been established, they will give you the best options on how you can ship your products with without worrying too much about its safety. Of course, this includes trust, formal agreements, and other arrangements that will ensure that your goods are handled properly.

  1. They Understand Your Goals and Reason for Shipping.
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Another thing that makes an honest customs broker investment worthy is that they analyze your goals and reason for merchandising such product. This not only enables them to form a much stronger partnership with you but also giving them the foundation for the proper distribution strategy that they have to employ.

A professional broker will take an interest in learning the mechanics of your business and asks questions about your business model- giving an outside yet fresh perspective and insights subsequently. To achieve this, a two-way communication must exist first, and a thorough understanding of your company’s key strengths and weaknesses must be established during the negotiation stage.

 

  1.  They Are Willing to Correct Mistakes and Prompt for What’s Missing.

 

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If you want to seek the help of a customs broker, you must first provide all the necessary paperwork to them. And because you are ultimately responsible for the filing and paying taxes and duties, you should look for a reliable and a sincere customs broker who are willing to correct mistakes and is quick in notifying you for missing important details. If it is your first time to ship products, an honest customs broker should recognize that you are right after you talk to them. They will assist on every aspect of customs along the way, and wouldn’t wait for you to give them what they need.
They are proactive, and will provide it because it is part of the relationship. Given that you have checked their credibility- some unique situations wherein they were able to help other companies on certain issues or their level of emphasis on details, accuracy, and compliance- it is guaranteed that a synergetic type of relationship will ensue between your chosen broker and your company.

In conclusion, a reliable and ethical customs broker should give you the peace of mind and confidence in every importing and/or export endeavors. At Excelsior Worldwide Freight Logistic and Excelsior Customs Brokerage, we ensure that your shipments will be able to cross international borders in a safe and efficient way. And because we strongly believe that your time is a critical element in your business strategy, we want to offer you a customs brokerage service that is  well-grounded on professionalism, integrity, and efficiency.

To know more about Excelsior, visit http://www.excelsior.ph.

How To Choose The Best Customs Broker

How To Choose The Best Customs Broker

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Customs brokers provide professional and expert service on customs clearance
of goods during importing and exporting. Customs brokers are in charge of
making sure that the rules and regulations of international trade are consistently
met, and they are responsible for the interaction and communication with the
customs of a shipment’s country destination.

There are several factors that must be taken into consideration when it comes to
choosing the best customs broker.

1. Eligibility

The very first thing that you need to check with your customs broker is their
eligibility. Your customs broker must be a license holder, which means that he or
she is an accredited customs broker, and he or she has been able to pass the
licensure examination specific for customs brokers. Moreover, if you are looking
for a customs brokerage company, this company must empower its employees to
become licensed customs brokers.

In order to become a licensed customs broker, one must go through a four-year
course and take a licensure exam, which in the Philippines is administered and
regulated by the Philippine Regulatory Committee (PRC). The intensive
education process that licensed customs brokers goes through enables them to
have the confidence and efficiency that they need to carry out their
responsibilities.

Every country usually has an official list of active brokers from the government. It
will be wise to first check with this list for any customs broker that you will be able
to get in touch with.

For the official list released by the Bureau of Customs of the Philippines, the list
can be found here.

2. Technical Knowledge and Skills

Interfacing with the local and international customs is no mean feat.

The laws, rules, and regulatory requirements pertaining to transport of goods can
be very complex. This is why it is critical for your customs broker to have a high
level of technical knowledge, as well as access to up-to-date information when it
comes to shipments, importation, and exportation. Your customs broker must
have high understanding of entry protocols and requirements, valuation, fines and penalties, taxes, and the like.

3. Track record

It is also wise to ask industry peers for recommended customs brokers, as well
as existing clients of customs brokers for feedback regarding their performance.
This way, you can gauge their integrity, professionalism, and level expertise.

You might also want to consider making sure that your customs broker of choice
has no pending case with the customs of any country.

4. Specialty and experience

The ease of any work always depends on the experience of the one doing the
work. Customs brokerage is no different. You need to consider working with a
customs broker who has had experience, or better yet, has a specialization in the
handling of the goods that you will be shipping.

This way, you will not be caught off guard when it comes to duties, taxes, and regulations, or even obscure agreements and provisions, special cases, or some
exceptions to the rule, if there are any. After all, each country has a unique set of
shipping rules and regulations, and all goods are handled and shipped in a
specific way.

5. Professionalism and Integrity

The customs broker is the one who interfaces with customs in behalf of the
importer or exporter. This means that the customs broker is the one who
represents you and your business. In this regard, it is important to have a
customs broker who is able to satisfy all legal requirements in an efficient,
effective, and ethical way.

Moreover, the goods that you are shipping are valuable, and oftentimes irreplaceable. It is therefore important to make sure that these goods are being
handled by people only with utmost professionalism and unbreakable integrity.

Choosing to work with a customs broker is one thing, and choosing the best
customs broker for your business and your goods is another thing. It is important
to make sure that the customs broker you are working with actually has what it
takes to get the job done for you, and provide you with a service that is
exceptional and efficient.

Excelsior is a freight logistics corporation who not only moves your shipment, but
also takes care of customs clearance on your behalf. Excelsior has been
providing exceptional, excellent, and experienced service for 15 years,
throughout all the phases of shipment – from freight forwarding to customs
brokerage.

You can also be assured that at Excelsior, we value or partners (we treat our
people as partners, not employees). We support and encourage all partners to
become licensed customs brokers. This is to make sure that our clients are
provided only with excellent customs expertise and superior customer service. To
date, 80% of Excelsior Partners are customs administration graduates. Six of the
Excelsior Partners are licensed customs brokers; we are proud to note that this
number exceeds industry average today.

Allow Excelsior Worldwide to help you navigate through the world of import and
export. For more information on our customs brokerage services and to know
more about Excelsior, visit our website today at /. For any
queries that you may have, you may call us at (063) 5259775, or send us an
e-mail through wecare@excelsior.ph.

What Is a Customs Broker and Why Do You Need One?

What Is a Customs Broker and Why Do You Need One?

Importing and exporting are two strategies currently being used in business expansion. In exporting, a business grows by tapping into international markets
and establishing international contacts. In importing, a business is able to provide
solutions to existing problems, as well as supply existing needs, through granting
access to products needed locally but only available elsewhere.

In the process of importing and exporting, the shipment will have to come in
contact with the customs, a government agency that manages and regulates the
flow of goods in and out of any country.

This is where a customs broker plays an important role.

A customs broker is a licensed individual or firm that ushers all shipment,
whether imported or exported, through customs. It is the broker who represents
the shipper when it comes to any dealings with the customs authorities, and
prepares the necessary documents for the shipment. A customs broker also
ensures that every phase of the shipment is consistent with the set rules and
regulations of goods transfers, which are unique, and not to mention constantly
changing, in every country.

Customs brokers also provide assistance when it comes to the classification, valuation, and entry protocols of goods, while making sure that all details and
necessary procedures associated are ironed out. Customs brokers also ensure
correct information with regard to taxes and tariffs, all in an effort to usher goods
towards its destination in an efficient and timely manner. The timely and efficient
ushering of shipment is critical because any form of delay in customs clearance
will cost a significant amount of time and money.

It is also important to note that communicating with different countries is no mean
feat, especially if there is a language barrier. In this sense, the customs broker
also serves as a translator, thereby ensuring that communication lines are not
broken or unduly diverted.

All in all, a customs broker performs all technical coordination functions relating
to importation, exportation, and overall goods transfers.

Because of the laborious nature of the processes involved in international trade,
as well as the technical requirements associated with importation, exportation,
and customs transactions, it is highly advisable for any business to avail of the
professional service offered by customs brokers. This way, businesses will have
the confidence and peace of mind that their shipments will be able to cross
international borders in a safe and efficient way. Furthermore, the services that
customs brokers provide enables business owners and staff to focus exactly on
what they need to focus on: managing their business.

As a business owner, getting a customs broker to help you with your shipment is
a wise business decision that will help you and your business remarkably. It is
not only practical, but also time and cost-efficient.

At Excelsior, we value your business and your time. This is why we want to offer
you a customs brokerage service that is efficient, professional, and ethical.

Allow Excelsior to assist you in the movement of your shipment, meet all of the
importation and exportation requirements on your behalf, and fulfill all
international trade and customs rules and regulations, all for a successful and
hassle-free shipment for you and your business.

To know more about Excelsior, visit http://www.excelsior.ph/.

Excelsior Worldwide Logistics Corp.