09 May
Exporting from Australia or any other part of the world demands some important preparations. From contacting the right authorities for export documentation to obtaining useful tips about customs clearance, exporters must get ready in advance to ensure success. If you are planning your first export consignment, here are some great tips to guide you in this direction.
Know the Rules and Regulations
Compliance with international trade norms is extremely important for a successful export delivery every time. You must obtain information on:
- Australian export acts about export of different types of commodities. For example, if you plan to export products in plants and/or animals categories, you need to follow the guidelines of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Australia.
- Importing country requirements. It might be the case that certain commodities are designated as dangerous goods in some countries. To ensure that you adhere to the import norms of the country you are exporting to, make sure you have adequate information in this regard.
Go through Customers Time Release Study
The World Customs Organization (WCO) requires countries to release annual time release study which provides necessary data about the time taken by the customs to release various trade goods from their control. In the recent years, the time release study data released by the Australian Customs indicates how an increasing number of consignments are delayed due to non-compliance with the Customs formalities. In most of the cases, the lack of proper export documentation is considered as the main culprit. By referring to this data, you can get great help in avoiding the possible mistakes.
Organize the Export Data
Management of data is one of the main pre-requisites of hassle-free export process. You must pay attention towards:
- Storing the data centrally for easy access as and when required.
Using single set of data and templates of important export documents.
Avoiding data redundancy and data inconsistencies. - Ensuring that the data is securely stored and there is no possibility of unauthorized access.
Replace Paperwork with Electronic Documentation
The traditional way of generating paper-based documents have high probability of human errors that may prove to be expensive. Also, it can be an extremely time-consuming process. Moreover, all documents-approving authorities like Department of Agriculture for health certificates, Australian Customs for export documentation number and Chambers of Commerce for certificates of origin offer electronic facilities for export documentation. You may also interact with your importers/buyers, forwarders and other trade parties electronically. There are many cloud-based export software tools available to help you in this regard.
Get Fully Trained
Don’t hesitate in getting trained or training your staff to ensure smooth export process at every stage. For example, opt for training to learn how to prepare export documents without unnecessary consumption of time and money. If you decide to use an export software, it is most likely that the software vendor also offers necessary training to help you get familiar with all aspects of the tool.
Start with these preparations today as these would help you in long term and for unparallel export success.
