i2i achieved public recognition in 2000 for it’s commitment to, and knowledge of, export documentation solutions by the British Chambers Of Commerce (BCC) when it successfully launched the eCert online service for the BCC.
Having worked in partnership with BCC to extend and develop the e-Cert service, i2i is proud to have been awarded renewal of the contract in 2009 and looks forward to further development of the service over the next 4 years.
The problem - necessary documentation for exporting
For all businesses wishing to export, Certificates of Origin are required by Customs in certain countries to determine the origin of imported goods. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) holds mandates from the DTI and HM Revenue & Customs for the issue of all EU Certificates of Origin as well as EUR1 and A.TR Certificates. These Movement certificates are readily available from issuing body Chambers across the United Kingdom.
Solution and Implementation
Before 2000, options for exporters to obtain these signed and stamped documents were limited. They used to have to send them by post to their local Chamber, which could take up to three days to turn around, or if urgent they could take them to their local Chamber, or send them by courier. For some organisations this meant a significant amount of extra time, effort, and money just to get their goods despatched on time.
In 1999, BCC selected I2i as their technology partner to produce an online system, e-Cert, which would revolutionise the way that exporters could apply for their Certificates of Origin. Launched in 2000, e-Cert is available to all Chambers of Commerce (Issuing Bodies) throughout the UK to enable them to provide an online service to their customers.
A service that is always improving
Since it has been specified by BCC, the e-Cert software encompasses statutory processes and rules to ensure that these documents are completed and managed in accordance with regulations. Ongoing development ensures that e-Cert is evolving in line with the needs of exporters, and in 2005 an eXpress service was added, so that documents can be approved online enabling the exporter to locally print the document complete with stamps and signatures. This meant that turn around time was reduced to under 20 minutes.
Arab Certificates of Origin can also be processed using the e-Cert system, and EUR and A.TR documents, are now part of the service. .
Key to the success of e-Cert has been the relationship between i2i and BCC. While BCC have been maintaining the standards for production and approval of the documents, i2i have worked with a group of Chambers to establish real world working practices and have used some innovative technical developments to ensure that the standards and the working practices are contained in the e-Cert product. Security of online documents and anti-fraud procedures have also been a major consideration in the development of e-Cert.
Satisfied Customers
e-Cert is used by 1000's of UK exporters who process in excess of 100,000 applications onine each year. For organisations where rapid movement of goods is critical to their business, the use of e-Cert has saved considerable amounts of time and money.
Mike Rogers, Commercial Director at Agil (an e-Cert eXpress user) said:
“When so much of our business depends on exports, improving the accuracy and speed of the application and authentication process for export certificates gives us competitive advantage. Previously we would have to dedicate a lot of time to completing a lot of export paperwork by hand and then wait for it to be processed. With e-Cert es what would have taken days now takes minutes. Speeding up the paperwork enables us to give customers faster product shipment and that translates into better sales and cashflow.”
John Dunsmure, Managing Director of the British Chambers of Commerce added:
“eCert eXpress is the next step in our aim of making the production of export documentation a completely paperless process. Not only are there benefits to British exporters in terms of speed, simplicity and ease-of-use, there are also benefits to their customers through greater efficiency, better responsiveness and improved customer care."
We have found I2i to be the ideal technology partner – creative, innovative, supportive and providing exemplary customer care and service.”