Wednesday 7 May 2014

Why Hire a Custom Agent when Shipping Internationally?

For a lot of individuals and organizations, getting the services of customs brokers could mean more costs. But, for those who want to enjoy the benefits of the services offered by these professionals, the costs involved are reasonable enough when they weigh down the quality of customs solutions they get. The following are the reasons why it is beneficial to hire a customs broker as you carry goods through shipping.


Ease and Convenience

Nowadays, international shipping regulations and rules are becoming stricter than before. When you miss just one document, the clearing of the shipment may take weeks or even months. For a consignee, completing such formalities is nearly impossible especially if the consignee has already deal with loads of other transportation problems.

Customs brokers specialize in moving goods and clearing shipments. These professionals are responsible for clearing the consignment of customers and ensure compliance with all legal requirements. With this, the job of a consignee is eased because they don’t have to know about a lot of custom codes. This also lets them concentrate on other problems related to their shipment.

Frequent Changes in Legislation


While there is already complexity in customs regulations and laws, some yearly changes make these even more complicated. Brokers know about these changes and keep themselves up-to-date in terms of present customs regulations and tariffs in order to facilitate client transactions.

Aside from their knowledge on such amendments, customs brokers are expected to attend events, trainings and conventions for additional knowledge on the most recent industry trends. Additionally, a lot of them are connected with government agencies which would convey any regulation changes to them. Usually, the confusion with customs is that each time customers wish to have a consignment shipped; they have to undergo new changes in procedures. In a case like this, it is ideal to get the services of a customs agent who will charge a particular fee for his services and make sure that the goods will be cleared smoothly.

Paperwork Handling

Cargo classification, exchange rates and appraisals are some things that must be known when shipping internationally. Although a lot of people find this quite a tedious task, customs agents handle them regularly. These professionals try to learn a lot about a customer’s shipment and inform the customer about items or goods that are likely to cause delay to the clearance procedure.

A lot of customs brokers have affiliation with freight forwarding companies. But, a lot of them work independently or employed by shipping lines, exporters, large importers and other customs brokerage companies.

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