| “We have met the enemy, and they are us,” said Pogo the Possum. Nowhere is this more true than in exporting.
Exporters walk a narrow line between ever-changing government regulations (ours and others), complex product standards, transportation changes, exchange rate fluctuations, and punitive import duties—all played out against the background of political and economic situations of about 200 countries.
Such was the situation on September 10, 2001. If possible, it has become even less predictable because of what is becoming a sea of new regulations.
It’s sometimes amazing that foreign trade goes on at all. But it does, and exporters can still lawfully and profitably do business if they know what to look for and what to avoid.
The really good news is that answers to many export-related problems are within your grasp. I mean this literally: they are a well-placed phone call away, perhaps within your own company.
It’s amazing how much information is available in the other job functions of even modest-sized companies. For instance, do you realize that most of the customer-specific information you need for export control compliance “know your customer” rules is probably sitting right in your credit department? If it isn’t, we’ll put it there and explain the rules to your credit, sales, and compliance people through this book’s collaborative approach.
Thirty-eight years of exporting, instructing, and consulting have gone into preparing this navigation guide. Not only will it keep you out of trouble, but it will aim you toward increased export profit through smarter use of existing resources. |
