A day in the life of…. Bethan Compliance Executive, Stuart Wood
Today I’m working as a dedicated resource for one of our clients. In ‘normal’ times I’d be in-situ at their business premises, but due to COVID restrictions, we’re providing remote support for the time being. My working day starts at 8.30am, so first things first, while the laptop is warming up I make that all-important coffee.
My first port of call is always the Bethan Project Management system, where I have oversight of our client’s requirements for the day ahead, as well as the liaison needed with the rest of the Bethan team to meet these. This client is in the process of applying for Authorised Economic Operator (Customs) status (AEOC) so providing support for this application is my priority for today.
This is swiftly followed by the highlight of my day 😉 – the morning Teams call with my Bethan colleagues to discuss the day ahead and our planned workloads.
Having received a copy of the Import MSS Reports directly from HMRC today on behalf of our client, I carry out a reconciliation between their Import Register and the MSS Reports to ensure they match and that Compliance Checks have been carried out against each entry.
We’re always on hand to help, so when our client calls regarding an import that is stuck at the border, I concentrate on helping them resolve this business-critical issue. We talk through CHIEF error codes, discuss the root cause of the problem, and work together to review and amend their Standard Operating Procedure requirements so as to streamline any future imports.
Before I know it, it’s lunchtime. 😊 After my ham sandwich – the food of kings! – I generally make time for a stroll in the fresh air, which sets me up for the afternoon ahead.
After lunch, I have a scheduled Teams call with our client to review the AEO questions sent by HMRC. We work together to prepare their responses, as well as to review specific supply chain processes where there may be a customs impact to ensure compliance in line with the latest legislation.
I also liaise with the Finance Director and Managing Director to review the core business model of their import and export supply chain transactions, giving consideration to whether a Special Procedure approval would be useful for them.
At the end of another busy day I log back onto the Bethan Project Management system – keeping this updated with completed tasks and those planned for my next dedicated client day maintains business continuity and transparency within Bethan.
At 4.30pm I close my laptop, and set off for my evening job – dad’s taxi services! 😊
