SHIPMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND COMPLIANCE SOFTWARE - What approach do you take and who do you partner with?

After 13 years of meeting with thousands of clients, we know so many, who are responsible for the transportation of cargo ask themselves this question.  

Why?

Well, they are not experts in Information Technology, right?  They are experts in the movement of cargo between point A and point B.  And, even without technology, all you need is a telephone, a relationship and paper to record everything to give a great service...right?

But, that approach only lasts a little while and soon, you progress to faxes/emails/text/websites/microsoft office and soon, you ask yourself.....

What can I do to better manage my information and shipment movements without spending so much time doing tasks that do not generate revenue?  

So, you hire a few people and they do the work..but then, they reach capacity and you say, what now?  Do you hire more people or add technology/software to improve those who are doing an excellent job managing your shipments?

With the cost of technology today and the cost of people...most companies do not want to ever lay off staff again so they look to improve the efficiency, accuracy and effectiveness of those they have... which everyone knows adds to overall job security by all.

So, the suggestion is that you look for those software and systems products that you can easily use and add to your current business processes.

No one who moves cargo as part of their every day service is a technology programming wiz!  No company whose responsibility and service offering is to provide the fast and effective movement of freight, wants to invest in their own...home grown product.  Why would you?  There are so many choices out there, why reinvent the wheel?

So, what approach do you take and who do you partner with?  Its simple, you take the approach of adding products to your business that increase productivity, decrease errors and mistakes and add value to those working so most of their time is spent on revenue generating activity.

Who do you partner with?  Well, you partner with software, training and technology providers that know your business...not just how to program or even that they worked within a large transportation company's IT Department. Your partner should be a company whose people did what you do and that can provide you a solution to improve Rate Quotations to your clients...a company that can manage all your rates and with a click of a mouse, give you all the options you have available to lock up the business....then, someone that can tell you what US Customs is looking for in reporting cargo to them.  A partner that can help get a VACIS exam completed and clear the cargo for movement. Someone who knows what a manifest hold means and what a fine or penalty is and how to mitigate it. Finally, someone who knows what cargo to Japan or Canada need or cargo to Panama...Yep, someone who knows your business process already, knows the lingo and can help you improve.

FINALLY, a partner that can provide Software Products to mirror your work processes..not change them or add to them but MATCH what you do.  Sound good?  Pick up the phone and call 866-744-7101 or email us at information@artemus.us and we can show you how to improve what you do and actually ADD to your revenue line and cut your cost of doing business.  Yep, we can show you how to add revenue through services you currently have someone else doing for you.

ARTEMUS can even help you get an OTI License, or a Type 2 Custodial Bond...or an Importer Bond or CTPAT Certification and even help mitigate a fine for you.  Further, what about Hazardous Cargo Handling Certification Training?  Not one competitor of ours can say these things and you'll only need one partner to help you grow...ARTEMUS TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS!

Look forward to hearing from you soon

Until Next Month...ARTEMUS  OUT

ONLINE TRAINING FOR INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING - WHATS AVAILABLE? CHECK OUT THE OPTIONS!!!

Do you think you know all there is to know about International Transportation and Trade? 

Well, NO ONE DOES!! and what better way to learn more than to invest in training and personal development! 

Don't have time to take off work?  Want to expand or refresh your knowledge of the industry but cant take precious time away from growing or servicing your business? 

Are you a global company and want to learn more about global markets?  

Try ONLINE TRAINING!!

There are so many options available online and here at ARTEMUS, we know the business, we have worked in the business and we have bench-marked and trained many in the business.  So, what better a location to learn than from the online training classroom of ARTEMUS TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS!  

Train at your own pace, on your own time and have access to LIVE INSTRUCTORS and SUPPORT whenever you need it!  

All students who sign up for one of our online courses have access to online instructors and other students with blog and discussion boards available.

Online students have online textbooks, search engine of industry terms and lingo, plus all those passing the final exam with a 70% or higher receive a certificate of satisfactory completion.

For those training online in HAZARDOUS CARGO HANDLING, a CERTIFICATE of COMPLETION is available and good for three years.

So, take a moment, CHECK OUT THE CHOICES BELOW and sign up to LEARN!  Its worth your time and investment!  If you are already a client of ARTEMUS, send us a note about the special client discount!  

Hazardous Cargo Handling Certification Course

This is a 8 hour online course on the regulations of the United States Department of Transportation regarding the safe and legal transportation of materials designated as hazardous. The training is designed to satisfy the general awareness and security awareness training requirements of 49 CFR 172.704(a) for those who work with the transportation of hazardous cargo in the international trade industry.

The following topics are covered during the course:

·         Hazardous Cargo Classification and how to use the Hazardous Cargo Table

·         Proper Hazardous Cargo Shipping Names

·         Hazardous Cargo Packaging Requirements

·         Hazardous Cargo Shipping Papers

·         Hazardous Cargo Marking & Labeling

·         Hazardous Cargo Placards

·         Placarding Requirements

·         Hazardous Cargo Loading & Unloading

·         Hazardous Cargo Security

·         Discussion of the IMDG code and how it differs from the 49 CFR 172.704(a)

SHIPPING GEOGRAPHY– “Where in the World” Course

“Where in the World” is an interactive geography course for those in the international transportation and trade industry. It is essential in our industry that you understand world geography from an Ocean/Air Shipping perspective.

This course provides interesting information and quizzes you on not only your knowledge of world geography but also your retention of information contained within the course.

Take a tour of the different ports around the world while finding out interesting facts about the various countries and their major port locations. Countries and cities change their name over the course of their history, take our quizzes to find out if you know their former names.

Export (Outbound)Documentation Course

This course covers the basics of those key process areas of export or outbound documentation requirements. During this course, the student reviews all the necessary and standard or common export documentation, which takes place at the port of origin for an international cargo shipment. Included in this section is a detailed review of the documents, the role Shipper, Shipping Line, Motor Carrier, Terminal Operator, Freight Forwarder, the nation’s Customs agency and associated Government Agencies, Broker and the Shipping Agent.

The Bill of Lading is reviewed in detail including the legal and contractual details that accompany the use of the Bill of Lading for international trade. The different types of Bills of Lading, including the Letter of Credit and shipments of a hazardous type. 

International Import (Inbound) Documentation Course

This course covers the basics of those key process areas of import or inbound documentation requirements. During this course, the student reviews all the necessary and standard or common import documentation, which takes place at the port of discharge for an international cargo shipment. Included in this section is a detailed review of the documents, the role Consignee, Importer, the nation’s Customs agency and associated Govt Agencies, Shipping Line, Motor Carrier and Driver, Terminal Operator, Freight Forwarder, Broker and the Shipping Agent. 

The Arrival Notice Customs and Freight Manifests are reviewed in detail including the legal and contractual details that accompany the use of these documents for international trade and duty payments.

The different types of documents and information requirements also include individual customer documents, delivery orders, alternative port moves, examinations, bonds, entry’s inbound cargo reporting and pre-alerts. 

Operations:Equipment Control, Intermodal Transportation, Marine / Terminal Operation Course

This course covers the basics of these areas of international movement of cargo. In the Equipment Section, the student goes through all type of equipment used to transport international cargo as well as reviewing, equipment and chassis pools, M&R, Depots, fleets, drivers and key terms. In Intermodal, the student covers all the options available for land transport of international shipments.

The student reviews each option to determine how best and most cost effectively moving cargo on land. The course covers the involvement of other parties such as Logistics Company’s, 3PL’s, shipping lines, freight forwarders, trucking companies and how rates are determined and quoted.

Finally, the student reviews the different types of moves for international shipments on land and then eventually on sea. 

SO, Sign up and LEARN what you don't already know.  Its worth the small period of time and the small investment.

Until Next Month, ARTEMUS OUT!

What’s in a name?

Every business hopes to be unique in its own way, especially when it comes to the company name. So when there is a misconception between businesses due to similar names, the damage can sometimes be far from reversible.

You must be wondering how something as small as sharing a company name can cause such a big ruckus. Unfortunately for Philip Davison-Sebry, it took just a spelling mistake to change his business forever. Davison-Sebry is the owner of a British engineering firm called Taylor & Sons Ltd. that was started in 1875 and has since built a prestigious reputation for itself. However, Taylor & Sons was wrongfully accused of being in liquidation when actually it was the reality of another company called Taylor & Son. (Read here) Despite the error, the company suffered the consequences with millions to pay in legal fees, loss of clients and a destroyed reputation. It’s crazy to think that a mistake as minor as adding an ‘s’ to the end of a name can create such an outcome. 

Aside from the fact that this was a horrendous mistake made by a government agency, there are common cases in which companies get mixed up due to a similarity in names. Especially for a small business, the effects can be so damaging to the business like the case with Taylor & Sons. A similar case happened in Florida when YOU FIT, a local health club, sued a competitor FIT U for trademark infringement, unfair competition and more. The similar names in the same area caused confusion but also that the services offered was exactly the same—a health club attempting to attract a younger and “on a budget” market. A judge in the end passed an injunction against FIT U, the rival club. (Read here)

“Choosing a name is arguably the most important branding decision a company will make,” Worcester Business Journal, 2014.

Most businesses co-exist with other companies that have similar sounding names without it infringing on their business.  It is more difficult to do that when said company is in the same industry, which happens more often than you would think. Although trademarking is an option, it is still difficult to avoid these cases. This can be a hard pill to swallow when you and your team have put such blood, sweat and tears into developing the perfect brand name. When starting a business, you know the types of services you will offer right off the bat but capturing your business with a name is the longest, and like the quote states, the most important process.

For us at Artemus, we realize we do have a unique name but even we have faced these circumstances.  Fortunately, because we stress the importance of close, personal relationships -- if such confusion ever happened, they know to call any member of our team for clarification. We make ourselves readily available and present everything a client needs to know to do business together. By having direct and close contact with our clients, they feel confident that they would get an honest, direct answer from us. We feel this is the most important aspect of containing a false story.

Besides customer relationships, when it comes to building a unique profile for your business, branding is vital. This can be achieved through establishing a reputation for your company that goes farther than the business name. You want people to know how the business differentiates from any other in your field, regardless of an analogous label. In the trade and transportation industry, social media is important but many companies are having trouble utilizing the use, especially as a non-consumer company. We embraced social media as a platform but also a way for our brand to stay visible. Personalize your business for existing and potential clients by starting a blog site that can update them on current projects, as well as future endeavors that the company is working towards. Establishing a profile that goes beyond the company name and website can enhance success, which in return can also prevent misconceptions caused by another company.

Our main goal as a company is to build a foundation that can handle any circumstance without a doubt. As much as social media is our creative outlet for keeping those informed, we like to announce any form of business deals and news through the media. The more you read about us, the more familiar we become. We wear many hats in the industry but we also make sure our clients know how they can come to us as a one-stop shop. We hope through these efforts, when you see Artemus, you know exactly who we are as a software provider, customs broker, and educational partner. So whatever the case, it’s always a safe bet when your brand can speak for itself!

ARTEMUS OUT!

2015: New Services for the New Year

Looking ahead to 2015, ARTEMUS expects the transportation industry to continue its dependence on access to real-time information and to leverage the powerful technology that has been changing the way the industry does business. As the investment in technology increases, we anticipate a significant growth in back-office support to ensure it is maximized. Both technology and outsourcing will have a huge impact on the industry this upcoming year.

The more the industry continues to lean on technology, the more it demands from it--and not just in terms of the software itself.  Providers will need to develop comprehensive, customer-driven programs that combine technology with experienced customer service and highly trained back-office teams to handle non-critical functions.  The approach of wrapping the technology around the needs of the company, as well as supporting it with an experienced team that provides guidance and absorbs some of the workload, is essential to ensure companies have the confidence to buy into even newer technology.

As these advancements emerge, there will be a shift from resisting back-office support to embracing it. It has been the Artemus experience that once the benefits of outsourcing of non-critical functions have been understood, there is a re-assessing of the entire workload, and additional functions, such as reporting of compliance data, are shifted to the back-office service partner, thus allowing transportation provider to focus on their core business and the one on one relationships with their clients. Combining great technology with accurate, skilled back-office staff allows for a leaner, more customer-relationship-focused transportation provider.

Clearly the relationship between the client and the software/back-office service provider becomes a very tightly interwoven partnership, making a software vendor selection a critical business process. The decision is not just about the details of the software, but also about the bigger picture of deciding with whom you want a long-term, day-to-day partnership. 

This year we introduced many new services to our existing and potential clients. We recently deployed our Japan Customs and Panama Customs Reporting software (read here), which are compliant to the respective country’s customs regulations. Our “one screen” system is easy to use and will auto-fill the information that takes up the most time to file.  The time spent on data entry will be cut in half as our software boasts the capabilities to submit your electronic paperwork when importing to Japan and the Panama Canal.

This past year, employee Anita Carty obtained her customs broker license (read here). With this license, ARTEMUS obtained the licenses and permits to add CUSTOMS BROKER SERVICES to our clients’ services.  This was a huge addition to help our existing software clients who did not have to find a separate customs broker to complete the compliance on import cargo destined to the US. Dealing with too many vendors can be a headache. At Artemus, we hope to be a one-stop shop for all of your needs— trade compliance software, including custom broker services, educational training, Hazardous cargo support, data entry and any business development consulting, such as getting CTPAT certified. 

Our wide array of services can help our clients to save time and money, while focusing on their core business processes and relationships.

This month, we will be saying good bye to Linda Wright, our long-time employee, who retired after 10 years of service to ARTEMUS and over 30 years of service to the industry. Though it was sad to see her go, we are excited for our new team and the possibilities for the New Year. Many changes and additions here at Artemus, but we anticipate the possibilities for our future! 

Until next month, where new announcements will be coming out, ARTEMUS OUT!

A BUSINESS CASE - How Our Managed Services Can Work For You

There was a great read in the Journal of Commerce’s July 2014 issue called “Managing Your Staff” by Jerry Peck (read here). It seems a colleague of Mr. Peck’s managed the trade and customs operations at her company and was dealing with the loss of two employees in a span of three weeks. With no option to re-hire the empty positions, she decided to go a different route that is on the rise—outsourcing managed services.

The colleague had reached out to her customs broker and found out they were able to provide the same services of the two employees that had left and even more. She was able to save $25,000 by adding additional responsibilities to her current broker agreement and did not have to go through an interview process to get that.

We at ARTEMUS provide similar services but we also provide services based on customer needs. For service providers hiring multiple people to handle IT, data entry, compliance support or consulting—you can engage Artemus to do all that without the headache of the hiring process. And it is customized for your specific requirements.

Our benefit to the industry is that we provide trade compliance support and shipment management. You would only need one partner to handle the job of several employees. All of our staff at Artemus has years of experience in the international trade industry and we do firmly believe that we are “shipping people” that understand your needs. ARTEMUS provides the tools and support for you to do the job as efficiently, effectively and seamlessly as a client would expect.

Now that ARTEMUS has added a Licensed Customs Broker on staff. Just another add on to the list of services we offer. Come to us with your needs and we won’t just offer technology or bundled services. We will offer services as you need them.

Until Next Month….ARTEMUS OUT!

Global Expansion - How do you do it as a small shipping business?

Over the last few months, our staff and I have attended many seminars, lectures, forums and speaking opportunities regarding the expansion of your business into a global market. Most of these events are focused on manufacturing or distribution but they can also be applied to service and global shipping service networks.

So, are you a small NVO/FF, Importer or Exporter looking to expand globally? Well, this can be done and you might be surprised as to how this can be done and what is available. First, let me speak about the State of Virginia....(probably the same is available in any state)

State of Virginia has organizations like Export VA or Yes Virginia, or even VA Economic Development that provides free support to businesses that are looking to hook up overseas and expand. Most recommend a relationship, like a local distributor or sales organization that is already on the ground in the local area you want to get into.

There are also US Based sales representatives, representing a country, a port, or municipalities that will help introduce your business to like businesses or potential clients to expand your reach as a business...again, all FREE!

Finally, most states and the federal government have mission trips, trips where you pay a fee and the organization, local, state or federal, that will set up meetings with potential clients, partners and distributors, tailor made for your organization.

Yes, much of what is written here is "general" but there are specifics in each area that we can provide for you if you are interested. But, there are many cases where a small business has "blown open" their revenue line just by getting into one of these programs, making an outreach to an organization that can help and that these mission trips can be direct hits to expand your business and outreach.

Our organization here in Virginia is setting a strategic goal for 2012 to exploit all these opportunities available and let's see how it works for us.

If you want to discuss this further, please reach out to us and look for our new website, twitter feed, blog post and new software and online training products, being updated and deployed as we write this.

Have a great holiday season and we look forward to 2012...hope you will have a great year too.

ARTEMUS OUT!

Fees - Fees - Fees and More Fees

Good Day - all the talk in transportation for the public is the amount of money airlines and even banks are making millions on fees.  Fees for baggage, fees for the use of services provided by the service provider and as you all know, in the maritime business, we have surcharges, port fees, documentation fees, even fees to use the live customer service line instead of booking or using the online services provided by carriers and freight intermediaries. 

One good way to avoid fees is to get to know the details of the business and in doing so, do more yourself.  In international cargo shipping, you really need to understand the business in detail to avoid many fees. 

Documentation fees, for example...many exporters and importers can avoid many of these fees by doing certain processes themselves.  Exporters can file their own AES or Ex Dec.  Importers can do their own cargo customs reporting, to avoid paying brokers to do this for them.  Intermediaries can file their own AMS and ISF for their shipments and avoid this charge from the carriers.  Exporters and Intermediaries can electronically send in bookings to Ocean carriers without even picking up the phone. 
Understanding the details of how the business works and doing more yourself can avoid some fees that do add up over time.  These are also places where, if you are a carrier, freight forwarder, broker, importer or exporter, that you can add to your own revenue stream by doing these services for your clients. 

Yes, this is a self serving post because Artemus does provide training in how to "do it yourself" We even have a class coming up in Virginia Beach VA on November 28 that will review all the critical shipping process and give you the tools to "do it yourself".  If your not local, the same class is available online.

Artemus also provides software, systems and support to provide you with the tools and training needed to take your service under your own control, save money and hopefully provide more profit to your bottom line.

The bottom line is that the more you know about the process or service you are working with, the more you can ultimately save money by doing more yourself.   
And yes, TECHNOLOGY is key here so give us a call and ask us how we can help!  866-744-7101

Artemus OUT!

Does investment in Technology or Service give you an advantage?

Technology or Service - Some say they can be one in the same but the experience in our industry would argue that they are very different. Service is the interaction with the client (your people)...the alerts, the phone calls, the emails, the overtime hours getting the job done. Technology supports service but so many use Technolgy as a "service" or more specifically, "self service"

The way we see it here at Artemus is that service is and always will be human interaction with the customer. The "may I help you", or "would you like me to call you when.....". or even "there has been an issue with your shipment, we did X and all is back on track". or, "I'll do that for you" That's service.

Our clients are telling us that to compete, they need access to better systems and technology, they need to move, send, received and provide more information. But none of them ask us to make technology replace them. The small to medium size carrier or freight intermediary wants to be close to the client. They need the phone, the want to talk to them but they want the ability to proactively advise and service them, update them, counsel them or even replace much of the time consuming work they perform with smart technology applications and smart process improvements.

NONE of the client of Artemus ask us to find the most advanced technology for them so that they can replace their service with it.

The final facts are these...in international shipping, service will always be what makes you successful and technology will hopfully go from a mentality of "serve yourself" to let us serve you better and in doing so, technology will make our clients better service providers and also make them more profitable.

So, does an investment in technology or service give you an advantage? The investment in service, which includes people first and technology second, gives you an advantage and if you invest in people first, then the investment in technology should make you more profitable.

Artemus OUT!

Technology - What is the future for International Transportation and Trade?

I am sure this topic has been written about over and over. The bottom line is.....the US Transportation and Trade Industry is NOT taking advantage of all that is available. Why? simple, competition!

Let me explain, in a recent speech given at Old Dominion Propeller club, the question was, where do I see the biggest opportunities for graduating college students in the Maritime Industry? I say, technology...the ability to take a work process and automate or program a product to conduct that process electronically. Why, because it makes sense, it allows electronic transfer of data, correcting mistakes automatically, control strategies for inaccurate data or data combinations, it allows electronic checking and for the sole purpose of cutting out errors and increasing satisfaction of the client....the ultimate user. So, staff would then focus on building relationships with clients and less on data entry, double entry and manual "checking". All those last things being archaic ideas.

Example - In Australia in 1999 (yes, 11 years ago) the entire import and export process of a container or piece of cargo was ELECTRONICALLY done. Yep, starting from booking over the phone, to phone recognition link to internal systems, to bringing up history, copying and updating a shipment, transmitting that shipment to transport providers, vessel planners, export documentation, terminals, customs etc. Yep, then picking up the phone and creating an ELECTRONIC appointment to delivery cargo to the terminal, which was sent to a transponder, that was read at the gate, instructions issued, information of receipt back to the carrier, which was electronically sent to planners at the terminal and the carrier and CUSTOMS and AQIS and yep, documents were released ELECTRONICALLY with electronic signatures, incripted files with password protection and oh yeah...ELECTRONIC billing and payment to the back for the shipment.

This was 1999 in Australia. Is this happening in the US today? in some places with some providers and in a few different formats but is there a standard? NOPE. Can everyone access this type of communication? NOPE. Why? Competitive Advantage.

Why can't the US International Trade Industry set some simple standards and require everyone to follow them, from the BIG TERMINALS to the small forwarders?

We have done a great job in focussing on security of cargo and national security with CSI, CTPAT, ACE etc. So, as an industry, let's focuss on being "state of the art" as a whole and not state of the art, as long as you can afford it.

Finally, Artemus will provide electronic data exchange systems to all customers of its transportation software. Visit our website www.artemus.us or call 866-744-7101 and we will show you our approach and our products and show you how affordable they are. So, be ready, get your smart phone, Iphone, computer and electronic internet device and get ready to provide your clients with state of the art service at very, very affordable prices.

Talk to you soon

Artemus OUT!

Import Security Filing - US Customs Bonds

Myth becoming a legend.......so many clients, importers especially, come to me and say, I cannot get my broker to do the ISF filing for me because they tell me I have to get a bond. They say it is required. How come I did not have to have a bond to file an AMS or ABI filing? Well, because a broker and an AMS filier live by different requirements. First of all, to make any filing, AMS, ABI or ISF, a bond is required. At a minimum, the bond is required by the company who is filing the information on behalf of another. So, let's say an Importer used to use a broker to do all import filings for them, that was ok, before because the broker had a license and a bond to cover them in cases where they needed it. For an ISF filing, the broker is requiring the bond, not US Customs. US Customs requires the FILIER to have a bond. A broker has a bond but chooses not to use it. In the case of an AMS Filing, the filier has a bond and that bond is also good to use for ISF Filings. Since the ISF filing and the AMS filing are similar...in data sets and in the overall purpose of the filing (an informational filing only) than the bond the AMS filier uses, they also use to cover the ISF filing they make on behalf of their clients.

Bottom line is that there are SO MANY options to getting your Import Security Filing done, a broker is not the only option and in most cases, is not the cheapest and the most cost effective option for an importer or a forwarder. If you want more information and proof of the above, just let us know and we can help. 100+ plus customers in 17 countries will vouch for what is written above....

www.artemus.us