assignment #1

A Customs Brokerage (ACB) is a high-volume third-party logistics provider (3PL). Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC), and international freight forwarder that provides full-scale logistics services including end-to-end import and export forwarding, customs brokerage, direct consolidation services, local and national trucking. insurance and warehousing. Services range from local delivery to large-scale multimodal project cargo. The company also maintains a fleet of trucks through its subsidiary Mantra Trucking, Inc. and through its network of carriers, transports and distributes Full Container Load (FCL) and Less-than-Container Load (LCL) shipments to some of the largest importers and exporters in the Americas. Challenge A Customs Brokerage was approaching a critical threshold that required added automation in its operations. According to Gabriel Rodriguez, President at A Customs Brokerage, "We have seen a consistent growth trend year-over-year, even reaching a double-digit growth rate throughout the economic downturn. The business was reaching a stage where ad. ditional automation and systems integration were needed in order to maintain the highest caliber of customer service" Mr. Rodriguez adds, "However, the number of technology providers we were using seemed to increase in parallel to our business growth. This meant that in order to effectively track and clear a shipment, a representative would need to switch to ditferent technology systems and various methods of record keeping. The constant shift of context and focus was inef: Challenge A Customs Brokerage was approaching a critical threshold that required added automation in its operations. According to Gabriel Rodriguez, President at A Customs Brokerage, "We have seen a consistent growth trend year-over-year, even reaching a double-digit growth rate throughout the economic downturn. The business was reaching a stage where additional automation and systems integration were needed in order to maintain the highest caliber of customer service". Mr. Rodriguez adds, "However, the number of technology providers we were using seemed to increase in parallel to our business growth. This meant that in order to effectively track and clear a shipment, a representative would need to switch to different technology systems and various methods of record keeping. The constant shift of context and focus was inetfective." As a result of the numerous technology systems in use, ACB was experiencing a fragmented view of logistics visibility and higher IT maintenance costs. He continues, "The multi-vendor, multi-process system was not working for us. We began to look for a higher level of service offering when we were unable to achieve our goals using existing solutions. - Utilizing multiple technology providers cacsedstatt to philt context and focus and resulted in additional cost gutiay. Challenge Having undergone significant growth, A Customs Brakefage, a high-volume internatianal freight forvardes 3 Pt and customs brokec, needed an integrated platform with localized support. The techinology required should help jumpstart growth and help ACB expand into new service offerings. it should also better address their needi for inore tlex ible reference and reporting tools and offer end-to-end visibility. The Solution Descartes OneView' Forwarder Enterprise and Descartes OneView' CHB solutions enabled ACll to consolidate processes, effectively perfoem financial analysis and manage import, export and castorris brokerage procedures from a single platiorm. Benefits - 25% incresie in volume since implementing Descartes technology. - 15% productivity gains and labor wavings through automation - Heiped provide a foundstion 10 move from a 25,000 sq ft into a 50,000 sq ft location - Incresued real-time visibility and reporting accuracy - Added compliance validatiand and standardized customs functions - Improved employee and customer satisfaction - Otfered a platform for continued tuture growth - Increased buiness contimuity - Improved operationalefficiencies Value: 25% of final grade Due Date: Day 3 Assignment Instructions Review the case study titled "A Customs Brokerage (ACB) Case Study" Respond to the following questions: Case Study Questions 1) What are the main issues that the company is currently facing? Why? 2) Do any of the international trade players that were studied have an impact on the processes and solutions of this organization? Explain why or why not? 3) Which specific customs regulations would apply to this company and its operations? Why or why not? 4) Recommend additional potential solutions that ACB could implement. Do you foresee any restrictions from a customs standpoint on the proposed solution(s)? Why or why not? Elaborate