DHL Express is launching a new customs online tool called DHL Trade Automation Service (TAS). It shall help to facilitate the complexity of the international shipping process of goods for shippers, which is often accompanied by many trade policies and customs regulations.
Using TAS provides customers of DHL Express with information on important customs regulations, tariffs and required accompanying documents for export and import in more than 75 countries. The information and reports help users to optimally prepare goods for shipment, so they arrive without delay at the recipients.
Thus customerr receive estimated total charges for customs duties and taxes that ocurr in addition to the shipping costs, and thus know the total cost of the goods in advance (“landed cost”). This allows for better purchasing decisions, for example, if import of goods from India is cheaper than from China due to customs costs.
In addition, TAS checks the contents of the shipment according to export and import restrictions, whether the sending or reciving country is subject to an embargo, and compares the addressee with the entries to the “Denied Party” lists. After downloading the trade and accompanying documents that are important for the customs clearance of the shipment, the shipper is ultimately prepared.
The organization of own data in an address book and product catalog makes the use of TAS even quicker and easier according to DHL Express, and ensures the customer remains up to date automatically.
Patrick Krückeberg, Customs Clearance Manager DHL Express Austria, is convinced of TAS: “I see the challenges in this environment every day. That is why I am particularly pleased to be able to provide our customers with a comprehensive TAS tool. Since we observe that more and more of our small and medium customers enter international trade, it was a concern for us, to provide fast and easy access to tariff information for this target group.”
