I'm at one of the few truly global trade (and compliance) management software providers, and frankly it isn't simple, it isn't cheap, and it isn't sexy. Some notes from my experiences:
- Electronic source data is often unavailable
- Each country has unique and often conflicting processes
- Every company has unique and often conflicting processes
- Every port has unique and often conflicting processes
- Deployments of truly automated solutions are easily as complex as some ERP implementations
- There are many cheap point solutions to compete with
- Compliance heads are often more comfortable increasing headcount rather than buying software
- Experienced compliance professionals are crucial to development
- Experienced compliance professionals who understand and care about software are few and far between
- Logistics and compliance professionals do not play nice
- Very driven by the regulatory environment. Nobody wants to pay for compliance until they get fined.
- You'll also be expected to interface with multiple government agencies, none of whom are overly concerned with your business success.
There's a global move to create a standardized format amongst several EU, US and Asia-Pacific companies (and govt organisations) run by the International Parcel Corporation (http://www.ipc.be).
However the format they've created is already outdated (and it's taken three years to get to initial draft). Like most large parcel companies, they are catering for slow, technologically lagging suppliers and customers.
It'll take a bleeding-edge integration partner like uShip, EasyPost or GoShippo to create a standardized format. (EDIT: Or the likes of Google who managed a similar outcome for addressing data with the Google Maps API.)
This is really a field that large government bodies need to address seeing as most governments still have a large stake in parcel shipping.
- Electronic source data is often unavailable
- Each country has unique and often conflicting processes
- Every company has unique and often conflicting processes
- Every port has unique and often conflicting processes
- Deployments of truly automated solutions are easily as complex as some ERP implementations
- There are many cheap point solutions to compete with
- Compliance heads are often more comfortable increasing headcount rather than buying software
- Experienced compliance professionals are crucial to development
- Experienced compliance professionals who understand and care about software are few and far between
- Logistics and compliance professionals do not play nice
- Very driven by the regulatory environment. Nobody wants to pay for compliance until they get fined.
- You'll also be expected to interface with multiple government agencies, none of whom are overly concerned with your business success.