5 Questions You Should Ask your US Customs Broker

1. 5 Questions You Should Ask your US Customs Broker Doing imports in the US is by no means a simple task. It includes handling documentation, filing E-forms, dealing with customs officials, and much more. When your business depends upon the timely and smooth arrival of goods- Making the right choice for your Customs broker becomes extremely necessary. Choosing the Right One To maximize all these compliance of US Customs Authorities, a US customs agent needs to be familiar with all applicable laws and amendments. Errors and omissions might be very expensive, hence choosing the right Customs Broker is extremely necessary. Here are some questions that you can ask your agent before any engagement to ensure his expertise and services in the field. 1. What are their service hours? The first question that you need to ask your service provider is, ”When you can ask questions?” It may sound absurd but it’s very necessary. You need to check with the service providers about the timings of their services. Whether a 24 hours support will be provided to you, or not? 2. Who will be communicating with you? You must ask, "Whether you will be allotted a dedicated professional who knows about your business, or not? Dealing with a dedicated professional is much easier than telling and explaining your problem to a new person every time. 3. Do they offer clearance at all US ports and borders? Having a presence at the port when the shipment arrives makes the customs process expeditious by reducing the response time. When a Customs broker agency is located nearby a port, it provides them with the opportunity of sustaining better relationships with Customs officials. It can help the agent in fast-forwarding in the queue or dealing with any adverse problems. 4. Do they have transport arrangements? Another question that you need to inquire about is- transporting arrangements. Many customs brokers provide the services of customs clearance and leave the goods at the port to be handled by the business person himself. Moving the goods yourself needs a lot of time and effort. So, it's better to ask the agent to arrange transport from port to warehouse.

2. 5. Areas of expertise beyond customs Ask your company, "Whether they provide other services such as export, logistics, and shipping services?" It's better to hire a customs broker who has expertise in other areas apart from customs as well. It will provide you with the ease of dealing with a single service provider for all other business needs such as Export and Logistics. Importance of Customs Broker Depending upon the nature of the goods and country of origin, there are various taxes and regulatory compliance that needs to be fulfilled for stress-free import. The process is no simple and hence its better that you allow some professional to handle the US import for you. Final Thoughts All in all, you are free to ask anything that holds importance to you. Don't feel shy if you are the first-timer, a good US Customs agent will be happy to help you and will assist you in solving all your doubts and concerns.