OK, I’ll admit that our industry doesn’t have a good reputation. When I came to this company (after working as a consultant, a computer company before that, and branch level freight forwarding before that), I hit the ceiling upon learning that our system default was EAR99/NLR. No, that should be what you’re left with after exhausting the alternatives! But I’ve made substantial improvements through formalized training and informal dialogue. I have my little champions out there as supervisors in our field offices that have become my eyes and ears. They’re learning, and they’re not afraid to come to me with questions when something smells a little fishy.

On the other hand, we have our share of shipper customers that certainly do not appreciate my medicine. It’s none of my business, or no other freight forwarder questions this. OK, fine, just have one of your corporate officers put that in writing. I don’t look good in orange jumpsuits.

Shippers? Forwarders? My departed grandfather had something on his wall that has stuck with me for years:

There’s good enough in the worst of us,
And bad enough in the best of us,
That it behooves the most of us
To talk about the rest of us.

There is a disconnect between forwarders marketing people and their operations people. Most forwarders’ marketeers solicit business on the representation that the customer can rely on the forwarder as a one-stop-shop for all their international trade needs. Most forwarders’ operations are actually high volume paper (or electron) pushing operations who hire low-wage folks with the barest education to fill out templates without any real understanding of the substantive terms. The advice they render is rarely documented in writing, and even when in writing (like a quick email) rarely accompanied by any reasoned rationale with citations to authority – an essential component of a good faith mistake defense. And when their low cost approach inevitably results in problems, rather than going back to the customer and doing a joint voluntary disclosure, most forwarders will drop a dime on their customer to keep from paying out anything themselves.

Some forwarders will, after the marketeers rope in the customer, ask customers to sign documents accepting all liability and/or warning the customer that the customer is responsible for regulatory compliance. Customers should paid heed and guard themselves accordingly.

See CISCO http://www.cisco.com/web/about/doing_business/legal/global_export_trade/general_export/contract_compliance.html

“Cisco encourages customers to contact their local freight forwarder, consultant, or an attorney with knowledge of international export requirements.”

Yikes. Unless your getting weight requirements, transportation plans, packing details, etc…Like you, I’d recommend leaving the FF out of the call tree (no offense against my FF friends).

The only way I can see to change the state of things in the export community is to spread the word that export is not a game, that training is very important and there are blogs like Cliff’s that help you laugh at yourself.