The Future of Customs Brokers: Embracing the Change

Change is often met with a combination of anticipation and dread.  But for the team at Artemus, we are embracing change with excitement about the opportunities and about the unknown.   When I contemplate of the debate about future of Customs Brokers, I think of Bill Gates’ quote:

“This is a fantastic time to be entering the business world because business is going to change more in the next 10 years than it has in the last 50.”

Artemus believes in the huge value of the Customs Broker and the Customs Broker license…now more than ever.  We don't expect the new direction of centralization and advanced technologies to devalue the Customs Broker in any way; quite the opposite, in fact.  But, we write about it as we believe that many in the Customs Broker industry are missing an opportunity to “truly” embrace technology, centralization and improvements upcoming for the Customs Broker business process.   

That is why, within these last two years, Artemus has made a conscious decision to support one of our team members through the rigors of obtaining a broker license as an investment in the future because we see the enormous opportunities for our clients and our overall business approach.

We believe that our industry is at a critical point in its evolution especially in the area of technology, and, in my opinion, progressing in this direction could secure our industry’s relevance in the future of the US economy and, hey, it’s about time!!!

We expect these new developments to have a positive effect:

·         Compliance will be tighter, easier and more consistent, enhancing the value of the Customs Broker, both in knowledge and in technology.

·         Business will be more streamlined and efficient, freeing up overhead costs that could be re-allocated to invest in training, customer support and quality control, which again, enhances the value of the Customs Broker.

·         The Import Process in the US is still very segmented.  Who better to bring it together than the Customs Broker, especially those who are forward thinking and not scared of getting rid of paper, and adding value to the process.

Change Management, a term made famous by Honeywell 20+ years ago, should be a way of thinking and a part of any position description in our industry.  Customs Brokers should make change and change management a way of life, rather than a constant, “here we go again, doesn’t Customs know anything about what we do?”  “Doesn’t everyone see that you can’t change that?”  “You have to keep this separate!”  All quotes we have heard come from the mouths of Customs Brokers over the last 3-5 years.  No position in a business survives that cannot be changed, streamlined, improved or done differently, every 3-5 years. 

Although change is difficult for any well-established industry, we need to remember what Benjamin Franklin said:

“When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.”

Until next month, ARTEMUS OUT!