We’re celebrating this month as our work with boohoo has been shortlisted in the Retail Tech Innovation Hub (RTIH) Innovation Awards for the Best Retailer/Technology Supplier Relationship category.

The award recognises the value of our tariff classification solution, TariffTel, alongside our experienced customs team, in supporting boohoo in their ambition to grow US sales in 2023. With the development of their new US distribution centre, boohoo were faced with the challenge of ensuring their fashion products reached the new centre quickly and compliantly, whilst adhering to complex US customs controls. They overcame this challenge using TariffTel’s centralised platform that assigns US tariff codes to goods, enabling them to move away from their previous legacy system that was based on paper-based processes and decentralised data. As a result, they were able to considerably speed up delivery times of shipments which previously took eight to ten days to arrive in the US from the UK.

Quicker delivery, but also quicker classification

What was particularly impressive in this project is the speed in which thousands of apparel goods were classified. In less than four months, the TariffTel team had classified thousands of SKUs from hundreds of boohoo suppliers. This was achieved because of three key things: knowledge of complex US customs controls, a deep understanding of the classification process and the involvement of boohoo’s suppliers.

Classifying products for international trade is a complex process. The Harmonised Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) sets out the tariff rates and statistical categories for all merchandise imported into the United States. The HTS is based on the international Harmonised System, which is the global system of nomenclature applied to most world trade in goods. The US tariff has added complexities and goes into greater detail in categories, than the UK tariff. For example, for knitwear, in chapter 6110 there are 20 tariff codes in the UK, however, the US has 123 codes.

Another factor in the success of this project was leveraging the data that suppliers held on boohoo’s products. TariffTel is unlike other solutions in that the platform engages with suppliers to obtain very specific information on products including variations by size, weight, fabric composition, product images and supporting documentation (certificate of origin/compliance, etc). In addition, TariffTel captures unit costs (including at product set item level), country of origin, country of manufacture and origin of materials. All of this data is essential to classify tariff codes correctly.

Adopting these principles ensured accurate classification and compliance every time for boohoo, and makes this project deservedly award-winning (we think!).

If you want to find out more about how TariffTel works to provide accurate and compliant trade operations in a business, or learn more about our work on this particular project. Please contact us for details.

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Eleanor enjoys the creative and diverse nature of each marketing project she works on. The ability to approach each campaign with a fresh perspective is something she finds particularly exciting. From creating content to research tasks, she enjoys applying the skills she has developed on her degree to the workplace.

Let’s dive in with some questions.

Can you tell us about yourself and your current role at TariffTel?

Sure! I am an undergraduate English student, currently undertaking a marketing assistant placement here at TariffTel. In my day-to-day responsibilities, I take on a range of roles and responsibilities to provide support to the marketing team. From staying up to date with news and industry developments, conducting research tasks and helping to create tailored newsletters and social media posts to keep people updated with what we’re doing. I also have the opportunity to assist in event management, providing support for organising a number of events including the Drapers Sustainable Fashion Conference, The Institute of Export and International Trade Membercon23 and the UK’s biggest logistics conference, Multimodal.

Why did you decide to pursue a placement at TariffTel?

I decided to pursue a placement at TariffTel because I recognised the great value of gaining practical, hands-on experience in the field of marketing. While my studies provide a solid foundation, applying them to real-life situations is essential and this will stand me in good stead in getting a job when I finish my degree.

TariffTel stood out to me as an exciting company to work for with a strong reputation in the industry and I knew the role would be varied and push me. I was excited to  work alongside experienced professionals and learn all I can from them.

What motivated you to extend your placement over the Summer?

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at TariffTel and built up my skill set in various areas of marketing. The support from the entire team has been brilliant and I’ve loved exploring new ideas and approaches and see plans come to life. I want to keep it going for as long as I can before going back to student life.

What have you learned during your placement at TariffTel?

Throughout my placement, I have gained an understanding of the complexities of different marketing strategies and the importance of tailoring an approach to specific target audiences, making them relevant and engaging. I have developed my research skills, learning how to analyse market trends effectively to help decision making. I have also developed strong project management skills through my contribution in event coordination and organisation, this experience has highlighted the importance of effective communication and attention to detail to ensure we get the right outcome.

What are your aspirations after completing your placement?

After completing my placement, I plan to apply the knowledge I have developed during my time at TariffTel to the final year of my English degree. Following my graduation, I am eager to pursue work opportunities abroad, leveraging the knowledge and experience gained from my placement to seek a role in marketing. I believe that immersing myself in a different cultural and working environment will provide me with valuable insights and a unique perspective as I start out my career. Ultimately, I plan to take every opportunity that comes my way (and keep in touch with TariffTel, of course!).

We look forward to sharing more stories from our talented team. Follow us on LinkedIn to hear more from our team and what they get up to. A big thank you to Eleanor for sharing her experience at TariffTel.

You can see our previous Employee Spotlight featuring one of our Customs Classification Specialists Daniel McMenemy here.

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They join a talented team of skilled customs classification specialists who are driving forward our TariffTel solution ensuring goods reach their destination without the hassle of border delays and non-compliance fines which inaccurate tariff codes often can bring, as retailers know at their cost. 

Both are passionate about product classification and HS codes, researching and understanding the interpretive challenges each product can present. One of our specialists, Daniel Mcmenemy, discusses the interpretive challenges of classifying Summer outdoor products in a recent blog.  

Harrison Bay Joins from Harbour Shipping where he held the previous position of a Customs Entry Clerk, responsible for the smooth and timely running of customs procedures. His role involved comparing international shipment data with source documents and checking for accuracy in data for customs clearance into the UK from HMRC. As well as completing various customs entry declarations and supporting documents e.g. licenses. At TariffTel, he brings these data skills and more to ensure the TariffTel database is fully up to date, liaising with customers to solve even the most complex of classification questions.

Elizabeth Pascoe joins from Lidl where she was a Customs Officer, she was responsible for collecting detailed information from various sources to enable correct classification and auditing whilst also ensuring commodity codes, preference, excise codes and import controls are correct throughout Lidl GB. Prior to that she worked for a specialist logistics company that ships Fine Art and Antiques. Here she held the position of a Shipping Administrator where her role involved collating and shipping high value shipments internationally and nationally ensuring the correct TA, Export Licences and CITES for customs clearance. Elizabeth’s role at TariffTel as a Customs Administrator will see her work across all elements of our TariffTel solution whether businesses are shipping 100+ SKUs or 100,000+ SKUs. 

See more about what our TariffTel team get up to on a day to day basis and read our employee spotlight from one of our Customs Classification Specialist.  

Follow us on LinkedIn to hear more from our team and what they get up to. 

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Elizabeth Davies, says:

“My role is to ensure imported and exported goods for our clients including Primark and M&S have the correct tariff codes using the TariffTel solution. I am pleased I have flexibility in my role to be able to prioritise my family life when I need to. In the logistics and customs industry today there are a lot more women in senior leadership roles but men still dominate. There is a distinct lack of gender diversity and companies are missing out on the fantastic skills many very capable women have to offer. In my experience it’s the businesses that value people that are making the biggest strides forward to correct this and I’m pleased TariffTel is one of those businesses. When I’m not at work, I’m staying active with my family. I recently completed the Miles for MND raising money for Motor Neurone Disease.”

Investing in our team

Finding ways in which our team can develop their skills and have new experiences is a key part of our staff development programme. Elizabeth represented TariffTel as a graduate on the Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) training programme to complete advance qualifications in customs compliance alongside colleague Daniel Mcmenemy. This training came at a crucial time as the UK completed its departure from the EU, entering businesses into a new era of altered trading conditions.

IOE&IT Academy director Kevin Shakespeare praised the graduates for qualifying from their courses during the “unprecedented circumstances” of the pandemic. He said the graduates now have the skills to help their businesses trade internationally.

“The future of British trade is in good hands with the amazing graduates of 2019/20 and 2020/21 and we look forward to following their careers from here on in,” he said.

Meet more of our team here and find out how they’re pushing the industry forward.

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Our success in digitising our customer’s supply chains with our innovative supply chain management, together with our overseas growth, has awarded us the UK’s most prestigious business accolade, The Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International trade. The awards celebrate the success of businesses which are leading the way with pioneering products or services.

In what has been an exceptionally challenging past year for the global economy, we’re over the moon to have been singled out as an exemplary model in international exporting and commercial success, first and foremost supporting our customers in optimising their digital supply chains and classifying their products.

Commenting on the award win our CEO and co-founder, said, “It is a huge honour to receive a Queen’s Award and made all the more special after the challenges of this past year in particular. I’m incredibly proud of our team and the way we have come together to support our customers in working smarter and more efficiently with our innovative software solutions.

Resolve, opportunity, and hard work are the ingredients to our success, and I gladly share this accolade with my remarkable colleagues, who have supported me over these past 25 years. Achieving this award is recognition of an impressive team effort driven by common values and an ethos of collaboration.

We have grown significantly in recent years which has positioned us as leaders in online customs classification, and our reputation for exceptional delivery to our clients is matched only by the passion and the commitment of the our team. This is an incredible boost for us and an exciting time for us. [Watch this space!]”

Working smarter with a resilient supply chain

Innovation is at the heart of everything we do and has been crucial this past year more than ever as we supported our customers in navigating the unforeseen supply chain challenges that came to light as a result of the pandemic. Like many of you, we put our customers first, helping them work smarter and more efficiently with our innovative software solutions.

Having key supply chain data to hand allows an organisation to adapt, predict and react effectively. Digital transformation overcomes problems associated with manual processes and departmental data silos, helping to reduce human error and unnecessary costs. Issues with purchase-order reconciliation, poor visibility and customs compliance can be resolved. Ultimately, processes are automated and decision-making is transformed.

What this past year has demonstrated to us without any doubt is that businesses need to advance to become a synchronised organisation with a single view of data that delivers greater visibility and efficiency.

What’s next?

Our vision is to support more retailers and businesses in their aspirations to become a synchronised organisation with data at their heart.

When we started over 25 years ago, we were a small passionate team developing purchase order line visibility systems to global importers. We have grown significantly in recent years and are now considered a leading supplier in the digitalisation of global supply chains, bringing innovative solutions to customers & prospects who are prioritising transparency and accountability in their supply chain processes. Our customers have embraced our platforms which have enabled them to gain crucial competitive advantage and save significant costs.

This award will help support our further growth overseas and demonstrates to our customers that innovation and commercial success remains at the heart of our business.

To find out more about our solutions, get in touch

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