Unity SCM Launches Customs Brokerage Services

Customs Shouldn’t Be This Hard

Customs brokerage has long been known for its complexity—a web of disjointed processes, manual data entry, and slow, opaque workflows. Having dealt with traditional customs brokers, you’ve probably experienced the endless email chains and the painful scramble to meet compliance deadlines.

At UnitySCM, we’ve built a reputation as a software-first business, focused on simplifying supply chain operations with data-driven tools for Visibility, Execution, Planning, and workflow automation. So, why are we entering the world of services with a customs brokerage offering?

The answer is simple: It’s a natural evolution of our mission to enable data-driven supply chain operations.

We’re not abandoning our software roots. We’re applying the same principles that made our software indispensable to our customers—automation, transparency, and data-driven decision-making—to customs brokerage. This approach doesn’t just make sense; it’s essential. Here’s why.

Why We Launched a Customs Brokerage Service

The decision to offer our customs brokerage service wasn’t made overnight. It was guided by customer demand and driven by the very principles that underpin our entire approach to supply chain management.

Here’s the big shift: Our customers already trust UnitySCM’s software for Freight Planning, Execution and Tracking. They’re used to real-time visibility, actionable insights, automated workflows with every user getting the data they need when and where they need it. But when it came to customs brokerage, they’d have to turn to legacy service providers that didn’t live up to the same standards. 

We’d hear complaints from customers such as:

• "Why are there so many delays in customs clearance?"
• "Why don’t I get timely updates or proactive communication?"
• "Why can't I get the confidence I need that my trade compliance is handled correctly?"

Questions like these, and hearing that our customers can’t sleep well at night knowing there might be issues with customs is what is driving us to offer a better customs brokerage service utilising AI, data, and software in the back office.

How Our Core Principles Shaped Our Approach

We didn’t build this service from scratch. Our ‘principles’ of a data-driven supply chain have been at the core of everything we’ve done since day one. Here’s how those principles have guided our new customs brokerage service:

• Assume Data Will Be Imperfect
  • The inputs to customs filings are often riddled with errors or incomplete information. UnitySCM’s system identifies and flags data issues automatically, ensuring submissions are accurate and timely.
• Connect Structured and Unstructured Data
  • Customs operations involve structured data (shipment information) and unstructured data (paperwork and PDFs). We’ve created a unified platform where customers can access everything in one place—no digging through emails.
• Automate for Accuracy and Efficiency
  • Manually filing customs entries is slow and error-prone. UnitySCM’s brokerage service automates submissions, ensuring all filings are timely and accurate.
• Flag and Resolve Issues Before They Escalate
  • Our platform tracks customs delays and proactively alerts customers before issues escalate, giving them time to take action.

By following these principles, we’re offering a customs brokerage service that’s proactive, transparent, and more integrated with the rest of your supply chain operations.

What Makes Our Customs Brokerage Different?

Traditional customs brokers operate like it’s 1990—slow, opaque, and disjointed. UnitySCM’s approach is different in a number of key ways:

1. Proactive Alerts: Traditional brokers operate reactively, informing you after something’s gone wrong. We’ll flag potential issues in advance, so you can solve them before they escalate.
2. Single Source of Truth: Instead of relying on multiple disconnected systems, Unity’s brokerage service integrates with the customer’s systems.
3. Automation-First: From ISF filings to customs entries, our system automates repetitive workflows, which means fewer errors and faster processing.

These differences aren’t just "nice-to-haves." They’re essential for businesses looking to have peace of mind, knowing that your customs needs are met and knowing that if something happens, you’d be proactively notified.

Want to Learn More?

If you’re ready to see how UnitySCM’s customs brokerage service can simplify your supply chain, schedule a demo today. Our team will walk you through how the service works and how it’s already driving results for companies just like yours.