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!

A look inside our Global Commerce, International Transportation and Trade Course (Shipping 101tm)

Our Shipping 101 training course began in 2004, after we recognized a need to provide clients with a better understanding and knowledge of the ever-changing shipping industry.   The business is always changing—there is no way around it.  We at Artemus anticipate the changes, embrace them and prepare for them.

Benjamin Disraeli once said, “In a progressive country change is constant; change is inevitable.”  

 Our course provides the knowledge that is important to keeping up-to-date with the industry, the regulations, the systems, and so on. Since launching the program in Virginia Beach, VA, we have expanded the training courses from Virginia to New Jersey/New York, Atlanta, Houston and Seattle/Tacoma. We have two upcoming courses in Virginia in August and one in Seattle/Tacoma in September. Dates will be announced shortly.

We recently wrapped up a week at the New Jersey Marine Terminal with maxed-out attendance of 21 students with Anita Carty as the instructor We put a high value on feedback from the attendees, and are really motivated when we hear comments like the following from recent students:

“It is quite obvious that the instructor has had a lot of experience in the industry,” and “The class did meet my expectations, primarily due to the instructor’s ability to swiftly and effectively apply every concept in a pragmatic mode.”

Ed Kelly from the Maritime Association of the Port of NY/NJ has been sponsoring Shipping 101 in the NY/NJ area since 2007. Students that attend are from a wide-range of sectors: ocean carriers, NVOCC’s, freight forwarders, Port Authority, FMC officials, truckers, importers/exporters, and more.

In fact, one of Ed’s favorite aspects of the course is how well the industry as a whole is represented. According to Ed: “What I think is great is that you can have a shipper sitting next to someone in rail, which presents networking opportunities that you did not expect.”

Attendees get to enjoy an interactive environment with the instructor and fellow students in an informal classroom setting.

We see about 15-20 students sign up for each course. When I say students, there are some students from local colleges but many are entry-level employees have either been asked to take the class by upper-level management or have gotten recommendations from fellow employees.   Students walk away from the course with a better understanding of their company and the industry, enabling them to perform better on the job and improve customer service with clients.

 Albert Einstein said it best “Any fool can know. The point is to understand.”

We are committed to providing a comprehensive program that fully prepares our students making them more efficient, more knowledgeable employees. Attendees from the course remarked, “It will help me relate to our business units better and support them more effectively” and “I would recommend it to everyone before their first day on the job.”

Topics include: the Export Process, Equipment Management, Intermodal Transportation and Logistics, Export Documentation, Terminal and Marine Operations and the Import Process.

Students are able to enjoy a port tour mid-week to get a better understanding of what is being taught by seeing the port in person.

You can read details about this course at:

http://www.artemus.us/shipping101.html

Our success stories are what make the course. We hear from students that have taken the course years before and are now working within the industry, many advancing to management level…starting out having never been in the industry before.  When asked about success stories, Steve Pniewski, President/CEO of ARTEMUS talks about two stories, “I had a single mom who was recently divorced and a military spouse so she has just moved to the area, come to me and ask if she could take the course as she wanted to get into the industry.  That was in 2004.  Today, she is a manager at an Ocean Carrier in Norfolk.” 

“Another story is a student who joined our company as an intern, just to work in 100 hours in business.  She took the course in 2009 and is now running the logistics operations of a national freight forwarder/NVOCC in Virginia Beach. Both students believe they could not have accomplished this without that initial introduction to the industry through our course.  We also have been hired by companies such as United Arab Shipping Company, who brought us to their location to teach the course to their employees.”

If you are interested in learning more about the course and when we will be in your area, please contact information@artemus.us or call us directly at 866-744-7101

Until next time, ARTEMUS OUT!

New Partnerships, Business Developments – Outlook for Artemus

It's no secret that when it comes to taking a business to the next level, companies need to look for new deals, partnerships and opportunities for growth.  We at Artemus are no exception.  We knew we had to take it up a notch but we needed to find the right partner to help us do that. 

Up until 2014, we relied on word-of-mouth and our exceptional sales team to build the Artemus brand and grow the business within the highly competitive transportation solutions software and training market.

But how do we build on the success of our sales team's efforts? How do we amplify our Artemus message and generate excitement for our brand? Who speaks our language and understands our mission and how we fit in the marketplace? 

We found the answers in BSY Associates, a full-service public relations, marketing and advertising agency, which has specialized in the transportation industry for 40 years. At the helm of the agency is Barbara Spector Yeninas, a veteran in the transportation business whose passion for the industry may even match my own, which I didn't think was possible. 

It was such an exciting process to collaborate with a like-minded professional to develop a strategic marketing relations program designed to elevate awareness of the Artemus brand. 

Part of what drew me to the agency was our mutual respect for knowledge and experience.  It was quite symbiotic actually--Artemus and BSYA have both grown their respective businesses by providing their clients with unmatched industry expertise in this niche business we call transportation. 

Exciting ventures are ahead. We recently announced the availability of our online training course for Hazardous Certification (read here) and the integration of Japan’s Advanced Filing Rules into our Trade Compliance system (read here). Our new, re-designed website will soon be launched to the public and more announcements to come with our Shipping 101 courses. In addition to those services, we will soon introduce our customs broker services with a licensed customs broker on staff and a national permit to be able to do entries for U.S. cargo. Taking proactive steps in promoting our business has a busy schedule ahead but we look forward to the future and possibilities for Artemus.

Until then, ARTEMUS OUT!