Import-Export Operations Health Check & Assessment

What a good one includes

• A thorough review of your Harmonized System code classifications, country of origin declarations, and customs valuation methods to ensure complete regulatory compliance.
• An evaluation of your transit times, carrier performance, and port-of-entry bottlenecks to identify where cargo is getting delayed.
• A targeted breakdown of potential savings through free trade agreements, duty drawback programs, or bonded warehousing options.
• A detailed check of your supply chain security protocols and partner vetting processes to prevent cargo theft, fraud, or border seizures.
• A review of how you manage shipping documents, commercial invoices, and import/export licenses, identifying manual processes ripe for automation.
• A tiered list of recommendations ranked by financial impact, execution difficulty, and risk severity so you know exactly what to fix first.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming your customs broker holds the legal liability for classification errors, when the importer of record is always ultimately responsible.
• Paying standard duties on autopilot and completely missing out on massive tax savings from regional free trade agreements.
• Focusing solely on base shipping quotes while ignoring the runaway costs of demurrage, detention, and unexpected port handling charges.
• Leaving trade compliance rules undocumented, which ensures that employee turnover will immediately lead to costly border delays.

Frequently asked questions