For the past two years, Anton de Groot has been manager of the Customs Compliance team at Koole Terminals. He has also been chairman of VOTOB’s Customs Committee for a year now. This is not surprising given that one of his qualities is the further development of customer relations. Since his start, in addition to the departments within Koole, he has also created a strong bond with the market and industry associations.
The team of 13, spread across three locations, is responsible for customs compliance of all terminals within the Koole Group. And compliance with the legal requirements imposed on importing or exporting goods, including the submission of documentation. In this process, cooperation between the various departments is very important.
De Groot says: ‘We work very closely with Customer Service and over the past period we have optimized several processes. This is beginning to yield results; customers increasingly appreciate what we can do for them.” This professionalization also lies in capacity and expertise, and thus responding quickly to changes in the market. But relatively small initiatives also contribute. “For example, we make monthly phone calls with our largest customers to coordinate wishes and expectations. This works very well, especially for long-term customer relationships.”
Koole Terminals has fine-tuned its expertise and knowledge to suit the rapidly changing world, where digitisation, technology and globalization are constantly changing the rules of the game. De Groot adds: ‘Our market is complex and dynamic; choosing the best options is very important. Choices that both maximize the compliance of the organization, as well as increase the added value for the customer. I am very proud of my team. We can also insource more and more customs activities, which helps us streamline lines of communication and cut out middlemen. We ensure compliance with each other and collaborate with the customer to the maximum extent.’
