Workflow analysis of foreign trade department

Main business processes of foreign trade business department

I. Preliminary preparations

1. Website construction

The development of foreign trade business must rely on the website, through a company's Chinese and English website, to show a company's operating strength. International trade is different from domestic trade. Domestic trade is mainly about business, and buyers and sellers can make face-to-face and field trips. In international trade, the chances that buyers and sellers can see it are very small. The two sides can only discuss specific commodity details online with the help of the online platform. Therefore, in order to do a good job in international trade and realize the company's development, we must establish a perfect company network platform as soon as possible.

Release product

What we are talking about now is to promote our website through major international websites after the website is improved, so that more customers can click on our website and expand the influence of our website, thus promoting the intention of importers to cooperate with our company and facilitating foreign customers to find us. At present, the websites we usually use to publish our products include: China Commodity Network, Made in China, Ecplaza, Tradekey, EC2 1 and other international websites to publish some product information and contact information of our company. Some of these websites are paid websites and some are free websites. At this stage, you can use the free website for pre-publicity, and then pay for online registration and publicity when the company's foreign trade department develops to a certain extent. We can also register a domestic website for publicity. Now the main purpose is to promote the company website and expand the company's influence.

Two. Business liaison work

1. Daily tasks of salesmen in the foreign trade department

① Login contact information

After a salesman enters the company, he must first enter the company's website and open MSN and Yahoo! There is also QQ registered in the company's name, check the news, check the online contacts, and check whether there are customers who are online.

② Log in to the mailbox.

Log in to the mailbox, handle customer mail, check mailbox messages, emails, various inquiries, etc. When logging in to the mailbox. These emails need to be filtered and analyzed, such as important emails and secondary emails. In the process of dealing with mail, we should reply to the customer and then track the mail sent by the customer before.

③ Send a contact email.

After dealing with the customer's inquiry email, we should publish the contact email. In the existing customer contact methods, foreign customers should be selected to publish contact emails according to the current market demand.

④ Handle the returned mail.

In the process of publishing contact mail, some mail may be returned due to mailbox errors, network and other reasons. At this time, it is necessary to deal with the returned mail according to the information of the returned mail. The most important thing is to investigate and deal with the reasons for the return, so that it can be sent successfully next time.

⑤ Processing of online query

For some online inquiry customers, online quotation should be made according to the current market situation, and the two sides negotiate prices online, mainly including inquiry-quotation-counter-offer-acceptance and so on. After the customer accepts the price, we should ask the customer to place an order as soon as possible so that we can make a contract, send the contract to the customer for confirmation as soon as possible, and then execute the contract after the customer sends the confirmed contract back.

Three. Work after signing the contract

1. Signing and post-signing work

After the customer confirms the order, make a contract and send it to the customer to confirm the contract. After the contract is confirmed by both parties, the seller shall organize the supply, and the buyer shall follow the payment method confirmed by both parties (letter of credit: the seller shall urge the buyer to open the letter of credit as soon as possible; T/T: 30% advance payment is required, and the buyer is urged to return the advance payment to the seller as soon as possible).

2. Organize supply (inventory) and packaging.

After signing the sales contract with the buyer, we need to organize the supply of goods as soon as possible, and we will find a supplier with stable quality and reasonable price in China according to the price determined with the buyer. We should complete the production according to the contract specifications within the time stipulated in the contract. While processing and producing goods, we need to communicate with the factory in time to ensure the quality of the goods. Packaging should comply with the contract, what kind of packaging is stipulated in the contract, and what kind of packaging should be strictly required in the production and processing of the factory to ensure that the packaging is in line with the contract.

3. Inspection and quarantine

After the production and processing of the goods are completed, we need to inspect and quarantine the goods according to the contract requirements. If the contract requires CIQ commodity inspection, we need to communicate with the commodity inspection bureau, arrange the inspection and quarantine of the goods in time, and obtain the customs clearance form for the goods in China issued by the commodity inspection bureau as soon as possible; If SGS commodity inspection is stipulated in the contract, we should arrange the freight forwarder to get in touch with SGS commodity inspection agency in time, and SGS commodity inspection personnel will conduct inspection and issue SGS commodity inspection certificate.

Pay attention to the requirements of commodity inspection when ordering from the factory. Export contracts, invoices and other materials required for commodity inspection shall be provided. Moreover, it is necessary to inform the factory of the export port of future products, so as to facilitate the factory to handle commodity inspection. You should get the inspection certificate/bill one week before delivery.

The commodity inspection certificate is obtained after passing the inspection by the entry-exit inspection and quarantine department or its designated inspection agency, and it is the general name of inspection certificates, appraisal certificates and other certificates of various import and export commodities. It is an effective certificate with legal basis for all parties concerned in foreign trade to fulfill their contractual obligations, handle claims disputes, negotiate arbitration and provide evidence in litigation. It is also a necessary proof of customs clearance, tariff collection and tariff reduction and exemption.

4. Arrange freight forwarders to be responsible for export-related matters (chartering, booking and stowage).

After the goods are organized, we need to communicate with the forwarder in time, arrange commodity inspection and customs declaration, determine the date of shipment, and determine the time and place of shipment with the forwarder. So that the goods can be safely transported to the port of destination within the time stipulated in the contract. According to the requirements of the contract, do commodity inspection and customs declaration at the place of origin or port.

1. If the contract signed with the customer is FOB China, the customer will usually designate a transportation agent or shipping company. You should contact the freight forwarder as soon as possible, inform the delivery intention, know the export port and shipping date to be arranged, and confirm whether the delivery of the factory can be earlier than at least one week before sailing, and whether the shipping date can meet the delivery date required by the guests. A written shipping bill should be sent to the freight company two weeks before the delivery date, and it can usually be obtained one week before sailing.

(2) If the freight is paid by the seller, the shipping company or shipping company should be consulted as soon as possible about the shipping schedule, freight rate, sailing port, etc. After comparison, we choose a shipping company with favorable price, good reputation and suitable shipping schedule, and tell the salesman to inform the buyer's customers. Book this position in writing two weeks before sailing.

(3). If the goods are not enough for a container, when bulk goods are needed, book the location of bulk goods with the freight forwarding company. When you get the warehouse receipt, you should also know the customs clearance time, warehousing declaration requirements and so on.

(4) When booking a warehouse with a transportation company, you must fax a written warehouse booking paper, indicating the scheduled date of shipment, the type and quantity of containers, the port of destination, etc. In order to avoid mistakes.

⑤ Check the shipping schedule and fill in the consignment note for export goods. You can book the shipping space with the freight forwarder.

⑥ The freight forwarder shall, after sorting out the routes according to the specific requirements of the shipper, book the shipping space with the shipping company or its agent in time. When the shipping company or its agent signs the bill of lading, the booking work is completed, which means that the transportation contract between the shipper and the carrier has been concluded.

insure

After booking, if the goods are insured by the seller, you can go through the formalities of insurance for cargo transportation. When performing the CIF export contract, the seller shall go through the insurance formalities in time in accordance with the provisions of the sales contract or letter of credit before shipment. Insurance for export commodities is generally handled on a case-by-case basis. When you apply for insurance, you should list the name of the goods, the insured amount, the transportation route and the insurance scope one by one. After accepting the insurance, the insurance company will issue an insurance policy or insurance certificate.

Usually, when signing the purchase contract, both parties have already agreed on transportation insurance in advance. Common insurances include marine cargo transportation insurance, land transportation insurance and air postal cargo transportation insurance. Among them, the risks covered by marine cargo insurance clauses are divided into basic risks and additional risks:

There are three basic types of insurance, namely, no W.P.A. coverage or W.P.A. coverage and all risks.

(2) Additional risks. There are two kinds of additional risks: general additional risks and special additional risks.

6. Apply for inspection and change orders

After the goods arrive at the port, it is necessary to apply to the port commodity inspection bureau for renewal of the customs clearance form for outbound goods with the commodity inspection certificate/receipt issued by the commodity inspection bureau of the place of origin.

7. Customs declaration form

After the goods are concentrated in the port area, the delivery unit must go through the export declaration formalities with the customs. The customs declaration form for export goods shall be compiled by the personnel of the delivery unit holding the certificate of customs declaration form, together with the loading list, invoice, packing list (or weight list), commodity inspection certificate, export settlement verification form, copy of export goods contract and related documents. After the customs officials check the documents and goods and confirm that the individual goods meet the requirements and the procedures are complete, they will stamp the release stamp on the loading list. Only export goods that have been cleared by the customs can be loaded. At this stage, there are four steps to go through customs formalities: declaration, inspection, tax payment and release.

Generally, at the same time, the documents required for customs declaration will be handed over to the cooperative customs broker, and the commodity inspection will be entrusted to declare the export. There is usually two days for customs declaration (before the ship is intercepted). When consigning for customs declaration, you should provide a container loading information, including cargo and quantity, port, shipping company, warehouse number, container number, sailing and closing time, trailer company, container type and quantity, our company contact person and telephone number, etc. You can also arrange for a freight forwarding company to make export declaration after obtaining the customs clearance form for outbound goods issued by the commodity inspection bureau. The freight forwarder should send it to our company in time after getting the customs declaration form of export goods, so that our company can integrate and improve all the documents and negotiate with the bank to pay the documents.

8. Delivery and shipment of goods

After the goods arrive at the port, they should be directly handed over to the freight forwarding company, which will deliver the goods according to the scheduled time. After the customs release, the delivery unit shall contact the port department and tally personnel with the release form sealed by the customs to inspect the goods on site and make good preparations for loading. In the process of loading, the freight forwarder entrusted by the exporter should send someone to supervise the loading on the spot, keep abreast of the loading progress and deal with temporary problems.

9. Send shipping advice

If it is stipulated in the contract that the shipping notice should be issued when shipping, it should be issued in time, especially if the insurance is handled by the buyer. If the buyer fails to insure in time or fails to insure due to the seller's delay or failure to issue the shipping notice, the seller shall bear the responsibility. After the goods are loaded on the ship, the exporter shall issue the "Notice of Loading" and relevant certificates to the foreign party in time, so that the other party can prepare payment, honor bills, handle import customs declaration and receive the goods.

Shipping advice: it is generally required to inform the customer of the shipping details within a few days after sailing. The contents of the shipping notice generally include: order number or contract number, letter of credit number, quantity, total value, shipping mark, number of packages, port of destination agent, name of ship, voyage, estimated sailing date, estimated arrival date, etc.

10. Payment of freight

In order to check the freight correctly, the shipping company applies to the commodity inspection authorities for measurement after the export goods are concentrated in the warehouse or warehouse in the port area. For export goods requiring prepaid freight, the shipping company or its agent must send the bill of lading for prepaid freight to the shipper after collecting the freight. If the goods are from to pay the freight, the freight shall be indicated on the bill of lading, and the unloading agent of the shipping company shall collect the freight from the consignee before the consignee takes delivery.

1 1. Receive the ocean bill of lading

That is to say, to obtain transport documents:

(1). The contents of the bill of lading should be faxed to the shipping company or freight forwarder within two days after sailing at the latest. Supplementary materials should be made according to the letter of credit or the customer's requirements, and the correct quantity of goods and some special requirements should be given, including the shipping certificate issued by the shipping company attached to the bill of lading.

(2) Urge shipping companies to issue samples of bills of lading and freight bills as soon as possible. After carefully checking the samples, confirm the contents of the bill of lading to the shipping company in writing. If the bill of lading needs to be confirmed by the customer, it is necessary to fax the sample of the bill of lading to the customer first, and then ask the shipping company to issue the original after confirmation.

(3) Pay the freight and miscellaneous fees in time, and notify the shipping company to obtain transportation documents such as bill of lading after payment. Payment of freight should be registered.

After loading, the captain or the first mate will issue the first mate's receipt according to the actual loading situation, and submit the first mate's receipt to the original shipping unit. Export enterprises can exchange this receipt for ocean bills of lading from shipping companies or their agents.

12. Preparation of settlement documents

D/P means that the exporter (beneficiary of the letter of credit) submits the documents that meet the requirements of the letter of credit to the designated bank before the expiration of the letter of credit and during D/P. After these documents are confirmed by the bank, the bank will handle the export settlement according to the payment terms stipulated in the letter of credit.

After the goods are shipped, the import and export company shall prepare and prepare various documents in accordance with the provisions of the letter of credit, including bills of exchange, export invoices, transport documents and insurance policies, as well as other contracts or documents required for settlement of foreign exchange as stipulated in the letter of credit. Within the validity period of presentation stipulated in the letter of credit, send all kinds of documents and necessary vouchers to the designated bank for payment, acceptance or negotiation, and settle foreign exchange with the bank after receiving the payment.

13. Business registration:

After each export business is completed, it should be registered in time, including computer registration and written registration, so as to facilitate future inquiry and statistics.

14. File archiving:

All documents, including purchase orders, commercial invoices, packing lists, insurance policies, letters of credit, bills of lading and negotiation documents, must be kept for future reference.

Four. Problems needing attention in work

1. Purchase contract signed with domestic suppliers

After reaching an agreement with domestic suppliers on the quotation, the buyer's enterprise formally places an order and negotiates with the seller's enterprise on some related matters. After both parties agree, they need to sign a purchase contract.

In the process of signing the purchase contract, we mainly discuss the commodity name, specification, quantity, price, packaging, place of origin, date of shipment, payment terms, settlement method, claim and arbitration, and write the agreement reached after negotiation into the purchase contract. This marks the official start of export business. Usually, the purchase contract is signed in duplicate, and it takes effect after both parties affix the official seal of our company, and each party holds one copy.

2. Payment method

There are three commonly used payment methods in the world, namely remittance payment, collection payment and letter of credit payment.

(1) If it is a T/T paying customer, confirm that the deposit has been received. T/T payment is settled in foreign exchange cash, and customers can remit the money to the foreign exchange bank account designated by the company and request remittance within a certain period after the goods arrive. This trade method is the first choice for general traders, and the seller should try to use this payment method.

(2) If the account is released by the customer (the buyer is given a certain payment period), or the foreign exchange is collected by means of bank D/P, D/A, etc. , need to be confirmed by the manager. This payment method is not very convenient to use and is not good for the seller. If it is a long-term trading partner, it can be considered.

(3) If it is a customer paying by letter of credit, it is usually confirmed to receive the letter of credit 1 month before the delivery date. After receiving the letter of credit, the salesman should carefully examine the letter of credit to check whether there are any mistakes, whether the delivery date can be guaranteed and other possible problems. If there is any problem, the customer should be asked to change the letter of credit immediately.

3. Problems that should be paid attention to in export settlement

There are three ways of export settlement in China: settlement after receipt, settlement by bill and settlement on a regular basis.

(1) If a letter of credit is used to collect foreign exchange, all documents should be prepared within the specified prompt time, and carefully reviewed before being submitted to the bank for negotiation.

② If remittance is received by telegraphic transfer, it shall be faxed to the foreign buyer for payment immediately after obtaining the bill of lading, and the original bill of lading and other documents shall be sent to the foreign buyer after confirming the receipt of the balance.

(3) If the remittance is received by telegraphic transfer, it shall be collected before packing, and then packing shall be arranged. You can send the original bill of lading to foreign customers as soon as you get it.

4. Matters needing attention when using the bill of lading

After the shipping company finishes loading, the captain or the first mate will issue the first mate's receipt according to the actual loading situation, and submit the first mate's receipt to the original delivery unit. Export enterprises can exchange this receipt for ocean bills of lading from shipping companies or their agents.

(1). The bill of lading is a document signed by a foreign transportation company for the importer to pick up the goods and the exporter to settle the foreign exchange after the exporter has gone through the formalities of export declaration and customs clearance.

② Issue signed bills of lading according to the number of copies required by the letter of credit, usually three copies. The exporter keeps two copies for tax refund and other businesses, and one copy is sent to the importer for delivery and other procedures.

③ When shipping goods by sea, the importer must take the original bill of lading, packing list and invoice to pick up the goods. The exporter must send the original bill of lading, packing list and invoice to the importer.