ON THE JOB
General Work Guidelines
The nature of our business requires that we follow some general but very important guidelines when approaching our day-to-day work.
+ Accuracy is Critical
Accuracy, readability, and neatness is extremely important in our work. Mistakes cost time and money , so we do our best to catch and minimize them. Therefore, pay attention to the details of your work. Get all of the information necessary to complete your task. Do not take short cuts. Make it a practice to double-check your work at the end of each step.
Use checklists to minimize errors. Create and update checklists for each procedure as necessary.
Ask for help when doing a new or unfamiliar task to ensure that it is done properly. Don't assume that it is the same as some previous or similar tasks. Always ensure that the procedures, rules and requirements are still the same when doing tasks, especially if it has been some time since doing the task or if the task is done infrequently.
If you are part of a chain of persons who handles an event (i.e., entry, storage account) you must check each other's work.
+ When Mistakes Happen
We have to take mistakes seriously. Why? Because Customs monitors our mistakes. Repeated and continued mistakes can lead to audits, penalties and sanctions. It takes hard work and a long time to build up a good reputation with Customs. But it only takes a few mistakes to ruin that reputation.
Failure to review work is the largest contributor to having mistakes reach Customs. Each employee must carefully review their own work to ensure its accuracy. Each employee should also review their coworker's work if/when it comes to them.
If you find an error, provide a copy of the reject or mistake to your supervisor with an indication of what corrective action is being taken. We keep these records to show Customs that we are taking “reasonable care” steps to do a proper job. This is very important because if Customs determines that we are not doing our job properly, they can, as indicated previously, penalize us, sanction us, or even suspend or revoke our permit to operate. This should be done before taking the corrective action unless you are positive that your action is correct. If you find an ABI/ACE mistake, bring it to your supervisor’s attention immediately and before you make any corrections.
If you find that someone else’s work/mistakes/actions/inactions are affecting our Companies’ performance, please inform your supervisor immediately - don’t wait until a problem gets out of hand.
+ Timeliness Matters
Follow through and complete tasks/projects in a timely and orderly manner. Leaving tasks and projects in an incomplete state is unacceptable.
If tasks or projects are left unfinished, it is an indication of an issue or problem - which could directly impact our status with Customs or TTB. Please immediately discuss any issues that are causing you to leave a task in an unfinished or incomplete state.
+ Coordination for the win
Coordinate your work with coworkers to prevent duplication or double effort -- airport deliveries and pickups is one example.
+ Don’t Be A Busy Body
While we are a team, and we do work in an open office floor, please keep your mind and focus on your own work and behavior. Try not to eavesdrop or insert yourself in other people’s business, unless it is affecting you and your work.
If your work is being hampered by disturbances (such as music from someone's phone or non-business discussions), then please advise the disturbing party (parties) and your supervisor.
Messenger Service
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
We currently handle all paperwork delivery and collections internally. Please notify your supervisor if you need any documents delivered or picked up from Customs. And when possible, please provide a work order with each document pickup/delivery with appropriate instructions. Do not assume that they know what to do with any particular document. You are responsible for mis-delivery or mis-handling if you failed to provide a proper work order. If you send the messenger to obtain a signature, they need the name and location of the person who will sign.
Deliveries & Pickups
General Instructions
Deliveries and pickups must be made by appointment and scheduled at least 24 hours in advance. Advise your clients and truckers. Always carefully verify quantity and cargo for every delivery and pickup. Any discrepancies must be noted on the paperwork and immediately reported to your supervisor before completing any deliveries or pickups. Any manifest discrepancies for in-bond deliveries and pickups must be reported to Customs in accordance with Customs regulations and directives.
Delivery Instructions
Office employees must give delivery receipts to warehouse personnel before the drivers arrive. If possible give delivery receipts with the setup sheets. Warehouse personnel should not have to ask for paperwork.
Put seal numbers on delivery orders so that the trucker can verify when picking up the container.
Make sure that your delivery orders show package counts by bill of lading number if more than one bill of lading.
Airport Deliveries
Airport deliveries are usually on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Setup sheets should be given to the warehouse personnel no later than noon the day before delivery.
Before anyone goes to the airport, they should check with coworkers upstairs for any documents or deliveries.
Cruise Ship Deliveries
Make a master list (rider or manifest) of all items scheduled for delivery to a cruise ship. Include total number of cartons and total number of pallets.
Freight Deliveries to Truckers
Whenever you deliver freight (or anything) to a trucker, ensure you have the driver sign and date a properly completed delivery order. We must have a driver-signed record in order to prove delivery. Verify the identity of every driver and ensure they have a valid driver’s license prior to delivery.
Make sure that your truckers have received your delivery orders. Request on your delivery order that the trucker send you a copy of a delivery receipt signed by the consignee upon delivery. Follow up and ensure that your shipments are delivered in a timely manner. This is especially important if the importer and the consignee are not the same or if the delivery address is different than the importer's regular address.
Always put a delivery order in an envelope and seal it before sending it out by messenger. The information on it is confidential.
Wilmington FTZ Pouch
Be sure to check the Wilmington FTZ pouch whenever going to that location. Always ask to deliver or pick up any documents.
Demurrage
There are usually only five free days at the dock for dry cargo, and only two days for refrigerated or airport cargo. Make every reasonable effort to avoid demurrage. Immediately advise your supervisor if demurrage or the potential for demurrage exists and any related problems.
Questions, Complaints & Ideas
We believe that each of you, as a member of our team, has valuable insights, perspectives and opinions. We encourage you to bring your questions, complaints and ideas to our attention. Careful consideration will be given to each of these in our continuing effort to improve operations.
+ Questions
If you have any questions about your job or a task, please present them to your supervisor for instruction and feedback.
We will hold a Company Meeting on the first Tuesday of every month - which will provide a time to ask general questions. If you have further questions about our overall direction, please direct them to the company's Vice President.
+ Complaints
If a problem arises or if you have a complaint about your work or something that has happened in the workplace, present the situation to your supervisor so that the problem can be settled by examination and discussion of the facts. We hope this will resolve most matters.
If you believe that your complaint has not been fairly or fully addressed, bring it to the attention of the HR Director.
And if you still do not receive satisfactory resolution, please bring the details of the complaint and the steps that have been taken, to the Company President.
+ Ideas
Your constructive ideas and suggestions for improving operations are important to us, so we encourage you to take every opportunity to discuss them with us. Your suggestions should be submitted in writing to your supervisor.
After your suggestion is investigated, you will be notified whether or not it is feasible to put into practice.
Constructive ideas show initiative and resourcefulness. With your approval, we will place your suggestion in your personnel file and take it into consideration at the time of your performance review.