Murray Now

Alan McKeown, Zanelle Gerecke and Dot Williams

Regionally based Border Customs and Shipping (BCS) an Australian owned and operated business has had presence in the Murray region of New South Wales and Victoria for over 25 years.

With regional growth, relationship building and new technology, the Regional Manager Alan McKeown has made changes that have benefitted many businesses including BCS.

Alan took over the running of BCS five years ago, and while the business had always been customer focused, Alan recognised that 85% of business was import cargo, mostly dealing with the Albury Wodonga region. He realized to secure long term sustainability he had to explore new market opportunities.

“Now the business runs at approximately 50% import and 50% export. “What we now do is run the business like a “one stop shop” organizing the whole process. We basically move every piece of cargo from their supplier’s factory right through their door whether it’s here, nationally or internationally even though we are located in Albury,” says Alan.

New Technology has played an integral part of their progression; “business has changed since I have been here in the past five years. Technology has created more efficient customer service, impacting positively on the way we deliver.”

“I think one of the key things that has been so successful for us is that we listen to the market, identify where things maybe a little flat and target areas that are growing. I believe utilising on line marketing has benefitted our business and allowed us to grow and promote our services. 10% of new business that comes to us every month is through these channels,” stated Alan.

“Chipping away at the process to a point of excellence, and committing to trying to get it right and at the right cost is a solution we want for our customers. We listen to what the business wants, understand what their pressure points are, understand what their issues are and why it’s not working then try and create the solution.”

Murray Now asked Alan what advice he would give a business new to the export, import game. “Once we are engaged with a business we let them know it’s important to do their homework, research on their markets, and find out who the players are. It’s vital to understand the market overseas. What the regulatory issues are for that exporting market; duties and tax regimes, what the quarantine requirements are in the particular country they are dealing with. This is where we can assist and build value for their business” Alan responded.

Border Customs and Shipping is a subsidiary partner to another freight forwarder in Melbourne and are part of a global network of 400 offices. BCS quite simply do it all, from organizing customs brokerage, air freight, sea freight, express door to door parcel service and logistics/warehouse/distribution.

In fact, BCS take care of the clearing and delivering of containers into any region and exporting containers out of any region.