Customs Brokers - Are They Really Needed?

Clearing goods from customs in a timely and efficient manner has always been one of the main concerns for exporters and importers alike. The importance of a customs broker is felt when shipments get stuck at the customs authorities or at the Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The locally licensed Customs Brokers help in customs clearance for importers and exporters, thus reducing difficulty to work through the tons of paperwork. As a result, be it US, Canada, or the UK, most importers largely depend on customs brokerage services to get their shipments cleared at the border.

How Can Customs Brokers Help?

The necessity for customs brokers stems from the fact that both importers and exporters have to deal with a lot of paperwork for goods clearance. This includes submitting necessary documents and transaction records, furnishing information related to shipment origin, destination, suppliers, classifications, routines, etc. Customs brokers usually collect all the necessary documents and put that information together for clearance. They provide a wide range of specialized services that help importers and businessmen reduce significant costs and explore new markets. Nowadays, with the growth of internet connectivity, many customs brokers also offer dedicated services for e-customs clearance.

Some of the tasks that a customs broker can perform include:

• Evaluating products / goods that need to be cleared and ensuring that they comply with all the necessary regulations
• Registering entries of the goods with customs authorities
• Generating an electronic entry for the consignment of goods if required, as per the customs body
• Ensuring the customs authorities clear the goods quickly after verifying all the necessary documentation, and if required, follow up with them
• Provide a copy of the customs entry to you, including the receipts of the duties paid for clearing the goods from customs

International trade policies are quite strict and shipments might get delayed even if one document is missing. This issue can be solved with the help of customs brokers, who know the rules and regulations and can keep the mandatory documents in order. There is a need for customs brokers if you are planning to expand your customer base and focus on your core tasks. They know exactly what is to be done and they will do it on time and yield a positive customer response.

Is Outsourcing Customs Brokerage Services a Good Option?

The importance of customs brokers lies in the fact that they not only ensure that your shipments face reduced delays and clearances issues, but also guarantee its compliance to the country-specific regulations. Unnecessary taxes and penalties can also be easily avoided by taking the assistance of customs brokers. Customs brokers act as an extended team of your company, who can help you with all the necessary clearance procedures, in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

In certain cases, both organizations, as well as customs brokers themselves, outsource back-office operations and customs brokerage support services for streamlined operations. These functions include -

• B3 forms generation
• HS Classification services
• Invoice processing services
• eManifest services
• Indexing and Separation of filed entries
• RMD real-time and front-end entry services

Besides, by outsourcing customs brokerage services to a professional outsourcing provider, you can focus on other important business operations of your company.

How Should You Choose the Ideal Customs Broker?

It's important to select a right customs broker for your requirements. Consult many brokers, look at the services they provide, see what their customers have to say about them, and then make an informed decision to select a customs broker for your business.

It is better to have one broker performing all operations related to your business rather than having many brokers doing different operations. Also, you should ensure that you select a customs broker who is fully informed and aware of the new rules and regulations, and is experienced in this field. Read this article which points out 10 Ways in Which Canadian Customs Brokers can Help Your Business.

Hire Flatworld Solutions - One-stop Destination for All Customs Brokerage Support Services

Flatworld Solutions, a proud associate member of the CSCB (Canadian Society of Customs Brokers), offers its bespoke customs brokerage back-office and support services to globally renowned importers and exporters. We have a team of experienced back-office professionals to cater to the unique customs brokerage related needs of our global clients.

Not only are we well-versed with the tedious process and paperwork related to securing customs clearance, but also offer customized solutions based upon your requirements, ensuring you can focus your attention on other critical tasks.

Contact us today to outsource customs brokerage services!