Trade Tech Services (USA)

Sector

Logistics

Background

Trade Tech Services (TTS) provides Internet-based, cargo-security filing and data-entry services for third-party logistics providers, including international freight forwarders and non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOCCs), to file cargo information into Canada Customs Advanced Cargo Information (ACI) and the United States Customs Automated Manifest System (AMS).

The shipment information is contained in the House Bill of Lading (HBL), which is a contract of carriage between the freight forwarder/NVOCC and its customer, usually the shipper of goods. The HBL shipment information is received as a document, either a copy of the actual HBL or otherwise, attached to an e-mail, or as an XML transmission.

Solution

In December 2005, TTS chose SilkRoad to provide the cargo-security filing data entry services. The challenges were:

• Accuracy level: The data inputs are mostly Code/International Marine Code, and goods descriptions which require 100% accuracy. To meet with this requirement, operators are required to have a high degree of proficiency in English in order to understand/ identify the information needed. Every HBL completed needs to be cross-checked to consistently maintain the 100% accuracy level before being transmitted to US/Canada Customs.
• Tight delivery schedule: According to regulations enforced by the US and Canada Customs agencies, ocean cargo-security filing must occur 24 hours before shipments can be loaded at the port of origin and air cargo-security filing must occur at least 4 hours before an aircraft lands at its first U.S. airport. This results in a strict deadline for the delivery and necessitates a speedy input while accuracy level is required to remain at 100%. Thus, apart from proficient English skill, the operators should also possess a precise and high speed typing skill in order to ensure that all data are keyed in accurately and within the required time limits given.
• Flexible resource: To handle irregular pattern of work, SilkRoad Team is required to be extremely flexible while addressing the unpredictability and irregularity of the workload which is totally dependant on the sailing schedules of carriers. For instance, workload from Thursdays to Saturdays is normally 3 to 6 times heavier than workload from Monday to Wednesday. Thus, it is critical for SilkRoad to maintain a flexible resource Team that can quickly ramp up/ramp down as project requires.

Result

TTS is very happy with SilkRoad’s performance in terms of expertise, professionalism and flexibility. Within 3 months of the starting the project, SilkRoad won the Client's confidence which resulted in increase in volume of work through the transfer of workload from other data entry centres of TTS.

SilkRoad's TTS Data Input Team has since rapidly expanded to keep pace with the client’s requirements while maintaining the quality standards.