Fast parcel operators are brilliant at moving goods quickly - speed is their superpower, it’s what they do best.
But when parcels turn up unannounced, without the right customs clearance instructions, that speed can very quickly turn into frustration, delays and unexpected costs.
Here’s the good news: this isn’t something you just have to put up with.
You can actually work with your fast parcel operator to stop this happening. And if you’re tired of parcels arriving without clearance instructions? You’re not alone.
Key account codes and clearance instructions
At Bethan Customs Consultancy, we help businesses ask the right questions of their fast parcel operators - the ones that are rarely asked, but often sit at the heart of recurring customs issues.
It usually starts with understanding how your parcel accounts are set up behind the scenes.
- Do you know how many key account codes they hold for your business? It’s often more than one.
Different departments, different suppliers, different historic setups all quietly sitting in the background.
- Do you know what instructions sit against each one? Because each key account code can have different clearance instructions.
Different EORI details.
Different commodity assumptions.
Different “default” approaches that may or may not still be right.
And here’s the kicker for the business owner when it comes to customs instructions and fast parcel operators…
… if one supplier refers to your business slightly differently from another - even just a tweak in the name - there’s a good chance a new key account code has been created.
Same business.
Different name.
Different instructions.
Different outcome at the border. This is where things start to unravel.
Parcels move.
Declarations are made.
And suddenly you’re firefighting something that could have been prevented with clarity up front.
How to work collaboratively with a fast parcel operator
Working collaboratively with your fast parcel operator by mapping account codes, aligning instructions and tightening naming conventions can make a huge difference to a business by bringing consistency, confidence and far fewer “how did this happen?” moments.
This is exactly the kind of issue we support businesses with at Bethan Customs Consultancy.
Through our Health Checks and ongoing consultancy, we help map key account codes, review clearance instructions, and identify inconsistencies that can lead to delays or unexpected costs. We then support you in working collaboratively with your fast parcel operators to align instructions and bring clarity back into your parcel operations, reducing risk and avoiding repeat issues.
Customs doesn’t need to slow your business down, but it does need to be set up properly behind the scenes to make sure that doesn’t happen; because when clarity leads, compliance really does follow.
What We Do - Bethan Customs Consultancy