CBP National Account Managers to Move to "Industry Teams" to Gain Expertise
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection sources and a recently posted notice, the agency has begun grouping its National Account Managers (NAMs) into specific industry teams, in order to allow the NAMs to specialize and build industry expertise. Importer accounts will then be assigned to the appropriate NAM.
(CBP sources state that they are taking this step due to trade community comments that NAMs need to specialize and their industry/business expertise is lacking.)
NAMs Divided into 10 Industry Groups, Will Build Expertise & Collaborate
CBP has taken its NAMs, which currently focus on the large importers, and divided them among 10 industry groups so that they can build expertise and collaborate more effectively.
Accounts to be Assigned to a NAM on Industry Team Best Representing Import Activity
The accounts will be assigned to a NAM on the industry team that best represents the account’s import activity. The NAM will serve as the primary CBP point of contact for trade related issues for the account. In some instances accounts may fall into more than one industry. When this occurs the assignment will be based on the imports that predominate, and a holistic assessment of the account. NAMs will work together to resolve issues and assist accounts that cross industry teams.
10 Industry Teams with Their Commodities Are Listed
The 10 industry teams are designed to support the Priority Trade Issues (PTIs) with emphasis placed on industries with significant revenue implications, low compliance rates, high degrees of complexity, issues of national scope, and interest to the trade.
Below are the industry teams and the commodities or activities they represent:
- Agriculture and Prepared Products: agriculture, aquaculture, live animals, animal products, vegetable products, animal/vegetable fats and oils, prepared foods, beverages, spirits and tobacco.
- Automotive and Aerospace: automotive, aerospace, trains, ships, vessels, tractors (including for agriculture use) and transportation equipment
- Base Metals and Machinery: steel, steel mill products, base metals, fasteners, tools, production equipment, machine tools and electrical machinery
- Consumer Products: soaps, cosmetics, luggage, handbags, household items, tableware, jewelry, watches, musical instruments, sporting goods, furniture, mattresses, toys, festive articles, arms, optical and photography equipment, art and antiques
- Customhouse Brokers: licensed customhouse brokers
- Industrial and Manufacturing Materials: leather, wood, paper, stone, plasters, cement, precious stones and precious metals
- Information Technology and Consumer Electronics: information technology, computers, telecommunications and consumer electronics
- Petroleum, Natural Gas and Minerals: minerals and petroleum
- Pharmaceuticals, Health and Chemicals: pharmaceuticals, medical and surgical devices, chemicals, plastics, polymers and rubber
- Textiles, Wearing Apparel and Footwear: textiles, wearing apparel, textile mill products, headwear and footwear
Teams Could Later be Used for Additional Management by Account Projects
If CBP decides, based on the results of the two management by account pilots, to expand the management by account concept, CBP states that it will be well organized to do that. Even if the concept does not expand, CBP feels as if there is a lot of benefit to the account managers working as a group on specific industry issues and sharing their expertise in a more organized fashion.
(In November 2010, CBP launched the management by account pilot programs: the Center of Excellence and Expertise (CEE) pilot for the pharmaceutical industry in Los Angeles, CA and the Account Executive (AE) pilot to engage trusted partners in the electronics industry.)
(See ITT’s Online Archives or 10/26/10 news, 10102613, for BP summary of CBP launching the pilots.
See ITT’s Online Archives or 11/12/10 news, 10111226, for BP summary of CBP discussing the pilots at the November COAC meeting.
See ITT’s Online Archives or 03/18/11 news, 11031809, for BP summary of CBP issuing a fact sheet on the CEE pilot.)