In many businesses, the customs team operates quietly in the background, handling declarations, managing compliance, and keeping goods moving. But it may be time to take a fresh look if you’re in finance and still view customs as a pure cost centre. Customs isn’t just an operational necessity. It can protect profit margins, unlock savings, and significantly reduce risk when approached strategically. Overlooking this area could be costing more than you realise. 

The Often-Overlooked Gatekeepers of Profit 

Finance teams are attuned to significant, big-ticket risks: currency movements, tax exposure, and working capital. Customs, however, is frequently treated as a back-office function, focused on admin and compliance. 

In truth, customs professionals sit on untapped potential. They are the ones: 

  • Ensuring your business isn’t unnecessarily overpaying duties. 
  • Ensuring the correct tariff classifications so you’re not incurring avoidable costs on mislabelled products. 
  • Leveraging trade agreements and reliefs (such as Inward Processing or Returned Goods Relief) to deliver significant savings of potentially hundreds of thousands of pounds. 
  • Monitoring compliance to avoid substantial penalties and disruptions. 

Yet despite this, many Finance leaders neglect to involve Customs in strategic conversations, until something goes wrong. 

From Cost Centre to Profit Protector 

A well-supported and engaged customs function can deliver: 

  • Duty Reclaims: We regularly see businesses recover six-figure sums from historical misdeclarations, currency conversion errors, or misapplied Free Trade Agreements. But only when someone takes a closer look.
  • Tariff Engineering and Optimisation: When guided by customs insight, even small changes to sourcing, packaging, or product design can slash duty rates. 
  • Customs Planning in Supply Chain Strategy: Expanding overseas, moving warehouse, or planning DDP shipping? Early Customs involvement can uncover more efficient, smarter and cost-effective options.
  • Risk Mitigation: An overlooked customs error can trigger an HMRC audit, duty assessments and, in extreme cases, personal liability for directors if thresholds are breached. Prevention is far more effective and cheaper than dealing with issues retrospectively. 

The Cost of Neglect 

Because Customs is technical and often misunderstood, many organisations miss the warning signs of financial impact until it’s too late. 

Real-world examples include: 

  • Overpayments of £1.4 million due to misapplied valuation methods. 
  • An HMRC assessment of £240,000 for a wrongly claimed trade agreement. 
  • Duty liabilities picked up from suppliers because of poorly structured DDP contract terms. 

These aren’t anomalies, they’re regular occurrences in businesses that didn’t fully appreciate the Customs function’s strategic value. 

Finance + Customs: A Powerful Partnership 

So, what can be done? 

  • Include Customs in Finance Discussions
    Invite them into conversations on cost control, margin pressure, and supply chain restructuring. 
  • Recognise and Invest In Their Expertise
    Customs knowledge is specialised and business-critical. Under-resourcing it is a false economy. 
  • Use Customs Data to Inform Financial Strategy
    Transaction-level customs data, when analysed with financial insight, can reveal actionable opportunities for reclaim and optimisation. 
  • Be Proactive, Not Reactive
    Don’t wait for an HMRC Audit. Periodic reviews, health checks, and strategic planning can identify issues early and save far more than they cost. 

Your Customs team is doing far more than ticking boxes, they are safeguarding your business from risk and uncovering hidden value. 

When treated like the strategic asset they are, you’ll not only avoid costly mistakes, you’ll find unexpected gains in efficiency, cash flow, and margin resulting in fewer errors, reduced risk, and improved margins. 

Next time financial performance, cost control or supply chain planning are on the agenda, it’s worth asking …

“Have we spoken to Customs?”

‘Having worked across merchandising and supply chain in several businesses, I’ve seen first-hand how customs is often overlooked, quietly working behind the scenes to keep goods moving, with minimal recognition or strategic input.  

But here’s the truth: customs isn’t just operational it’s a financial gatekeeper.  

When I’ve pushed for a more proactive approach, investing in compliance checks and internal audits, we’ve reduced risk, avoided unexpected costs, and in some cases, uncovered rebates the business didn’t even know it was owed.  

This article powerfully highlights why customs should no longer be treated as admin.  

If you’re in finance, buying, or supply chain, it’s time to change the lens. I’ve seen the consequences of leaving them out and the value created when they’re brought in early.’  

Rachael Williams, Owner of Circular Supply Chain

business strategy customs brokers customs duty consultants Operations