Improving Your Operations Efficiency, Process-Based Scaling

Created 16 days ago in Skills & Management / Productivity

Project Title:
Inbound Shipment Optimization and Customs Coordination for Cross-Border Logistics
Project Summary:
Problem:
The client managed 400–500 daily inbound shipments, 80% requiring customs clearance with complex documentation. Delays of over 2 days were common, leading to high warehouse fees, missed SLAs, compensation payouts, and a surge in customer complaints.
Actions:
We analyzed shipment data, conducted focus groups and 1:1 interviews, and observed operations at Customs Gateways and with customs agencies. We reviewed internal processes (e.g., booking, clearance) and customer-facing materials (e.g., website, apps, sales decks). Key findings revealed outdated customs regulation updates between Vietnam and overseas offices.
We hosted a workshop to educate overseas teams on Vietnam’s updated import regulations, aligned on a new SOP to properly classify and prepare regulated shipments, and established a dedicated gateway team to liaise with customs and proactively notify clients. We also launched an automated arrival notice system to inform clients 3 days in advance, reducing manual workload.
Results:
Shipment backlog was reduced by 40%, and operational efficiency increased by 26% across inbound and outbound flows.