Donald Benno | Head of Clearance and Forwarding | 01 April 2022

THE ADVANTAGES OF AN IN-COUNTRY PRESENCE

Alistair Group has a dedicated team in all our operating countries to ensure we are always aware and knowledgeable of the customs requirements in each country. This not only allows for our operations to run efficiently but enhances simplified and accurate communication of any new requirements.

By having a fixed team at entry points, Alistair Group is able to stay updated with new customs regulations and act accordingly to ensure all shipments are cleared on time upon arrival at the border/port. Below we highlight a few of the advantages Alistair Group possesses by having our presence (permanent staff) at each entry point.

• Cargo is cleared in record time  
  • The clearance documents are shared with our border team prior to the arrival of the trucks which gives them enough time to proceed with pre-arrival clearance.
• Bond validation for transit shipments is done on time. 
  • This helps to avoid unnecessary penalties from the customs by delaying validation.
• Clearance/customs clarification requests are sorted within a very short period 
  • The customs officers can communicate directly to our team and therefore all recommended actions are executed immediately.
• We have built a good relationship with the relevant customs authorities 
  • This helps with resolving any customs queries quickly and efficiently
• Proper and accurate documentation of cleared shipments are done, which may be required in the future for auditing purposes. 
  • The teams at the borders are following Alistair Group SOPs (Standard operating procedure) and therefore once a truck is cleared all the original clearance documents are well kept and shared with the central office for proper filing/archiving.
• Clearance documents are always treated as confidential.
  • Clearance documents can often contain vital information. All such documentation is handled as per the Alistair Group’s confidentiality policies/standards. Therefore, all Alistair Group clients are ensured that information will not be shared with potential competitors.
• Facilities and equipment at points of entry reduce delays caused by power outages or equipment shortages.

• Points of entry occasionally experience power outages or a shortage of printing material such as paper or toner. Alistair Group has ensured that our facilities at these locations have back-ups; we have a printer, extra printing materials and a backup generator at our border offices. These facilities improve our efficiencies as we are not subject to these delays like other operators.