Local partners make the difference for overborder business

MOVING GOODS overborder requires a knowledgeable local partner. The “insider’s” knowledge can be essential for not only the day-to-day passage of consignments, but also to troubleshoot when inevitable crises and misunderstandings flare up. “Botswana customs is handled by my partner there. He is very jacked up. He’s been in customs work for years, and knows all the ins and outs. He reads all the bulletins and protocols to keep up to date and anticipate situations,” said Kitty Hewitt of Botswana Consolidators. Success in Botswana for the Johannesburg-based firm has been followed by entry into other SADC nations. The firm has been doing business in Lesotho for six years, moving piping and large equipment for the Highlands Water Project, and in Swaziland also for six years. 2008 has brought “a lot of work” in Mozambique, although doing business there is still “challenging”, once again necessitating a competent local partner to handle clearances. Customers realise they can use Botswana Consolidators for destinations other than Botswana. “A lot of our business is referrals. A mine in Botswana needing heavy equipment heard of us and referred their South African supplier to us. The bonus in my business is personalised service,” Hewitt said.