Articulating the factors for success

The making of a winnerUnderstanding what’s behind the elevated capabilities and towering success of the Customs Broking and Freight Forwarding business of Avvashya CCI

Over a decade, Avvashya CCI has continually scaled new heights and built industry leadership in air and sea freight, customs broking, and logistics services through its presence in 160+ countries through 300+ offices.

With its services covering almost every conceivable industry, Avvashya CCI stands distinctly amongst the very few customs broking houses that have received the coveted AEO (Authorised Economic Operator) certification. In a business characterised by thin margins, high volumes, and unprecedented challenges, Avvashya CCI has consistently risen to the occasion, providing world-class end-to-end support to its customers through industry-best solutions and seamless operations.

An edge in customs broking

Customs broking is the most crucial part of the entire logistics chain. Avvashya CCI prides itself for its presence in 20+ locations, with its own customs house agent licence at all locations, EDI link-up with customs on ICEGATE, the deputation of customs officials at its own CFS, a team of subject matter experts, and dedicated teams for clearances, amongst others. While handling the consignment of a chartered aircraft, Avvashya CCI efficiently arranged the clearance for it on the tarmac itself within a record 40 minutes, which otherwise could have taken up to two days.

A step ahead in freight forwarding

Avvashya CCI offers air and sea freight forwarding solutions, including air exports and customs brokerage for air imports, for which, Avvashya CCI carries out buyers’ consolidations regularly, offering seamless door-to-door products under a single window system. The business has forged relationships with mid-to-large enterprises and prominent air carriers, and has built an extensive global partners network over the last decade 160+ countries ensuring attractive and transparent rates, smooth end-to-end solutions for imports and exports, and the capability to handle even the most complex international cargo.

Avvashya CCI has handled challenging consignments such as the movement of tunnel boring equipment, a chartered aircraft and several other capital goods. It has successfully been clearing 6,000-7,000 boxes of solar power equipment each year, keeping itself updated at all times with the latest policies.

Apart from all this, Avvashya CCI has an efficient project division that caters to project clearances. It has undertaken numerous marquee projects for large customers involving capital goods, where special approvals, documentation and processes have been followed proficiently.

At the time when Allcargo acquired Hindustan Cargo from Thomas Cook over a decade ago, the business had a staff strength of around 60 people, with a presence in just nine locations. Over the years, while the headcount increased to around 400 and the presence expanded to over 20 locations, the company’s turnover multiplied by a factor of 10x. ”There are several factors responsible for our growth,” says Deepal Shah, CEO, CCFF, Avvashya CCI, who leads the Customs Broking and Freight Forwarding business. These are enumerated below:

Indian at heart, MNC by process

Perhaps the biggest differentiator for Avvashya CCI is the fact that while its robust, standardised and transparent processes, service delivery and exceptional professional approach equates it with MNCs of international repute, its connectedness with the company’s connectedness with customers lends its business the warmth and personalisation of an Indian organisation.

Hundred per cent compliant

Avvashya CCI conducts business thoroughly with the highest level of compliance, satisfying all the processes and documentation required by central and state laws of the countries in which it operates.

Control over business

Business operations at Avvashya CCI are very organised and structured. Managing its own extensive circuit of agents globally gives it the edge in terms of the control it enjoys.

Powered by people and technology

Avvashya CCI enjoys high employee retention rates. The average employee vintage at Avvashya CCI is between seven and eight years, which is by far the best in the industry. This translates to value not just for the organisation but for its customers as well.

Avvashya CCI has been an early adopter of technology to power its business. Using end-to-end ERP right from the time it was first available for businesses, Avvashya CCI has integrated its sales, customer service, back office operations and finance functions on a single ERP platform.

Capabilities in customs brokerage

At the time when customs broking houses were family-run, Allcargo had already carved a niche for itself. Avvashya CCI has grown to become one of the truly large customs broking networks in India with the highest level of capabilities.

Competitive pricing

Through its business volumes and its extensive global network of special partnerships, Avvashya CCI has been able to offer incredibly competitive rates to its customers, thereby staying ahead of the curve.

Providing complete end-to-end solutions, Avvashya CCI is today the one-stop-shop for supply chains globally. Its experience spans across almost all industries including automotive, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, steel, plastics, engineering, petroleum, oil and gas, energy, consumer durables, and food products to name a few, making it the preferred logistics and supply chain partner in the global circuit.