Brokers and advisers
How an accounting and advisory firm swapped manual, typed-in declarations for live progress on every client entry
AT A GLANCE
Hillier Hopkins has been advising clients since 1933. But in customs, its tools were showing their age, the work was all manual, and costs were only going one way
Now, clearance is quicker, the team can see every declaration’s progress, and when a client faced a customs audit, Hillier Hopkins could show exactly how their goods had cleared
About Hillier Hopkins
Hillier Hopkins has been helping people and businesses prosper since 1933, and in more than 90 years it hasn’t stood still. The chartered accountants and tax advisers have grown to more than 250 people across London, Watford and Milton Keynes, and rank among the UK’s top 50 firms
As the UK member of TGS Global, an international network of more than 4,000 advisers, they help clients from fledgling entrepreneurs to international companies, all over the world. They’re also a Certified B Corp™ and one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work
A manual process, and rising costs
Before DutyDeclared, preparing a declaration meant typing in every field. “Saved” information often didn’t work, or overwrote other fields
Customs declaration services are price sensitive, so all that manual input added to the cost of the service
The turning point
Costs were rising, and the team could see technology changing while their own system looked antiquated. Then their existing supplier mentioned it would be increasing its fees significantly
Hillier Hopkins had already been working with the DutyDeclared team as the software was developed, and the team was involved in testing it. That experience showed them change was needed
THE MOMENT IT MATTERED
“One of our clients had a customs audit where the officer was looking at uncleared declarations. DD provided us with a full audit trail of two declarations that had been replaced to show that the goods had cleared on the replacement declaration. We’ve never had that visibility before and it is useful for the client”
Ruth Corkin
Partner (VAT and Indirect Tax Advisory), Hillier Hopkins
Making the switch
Because Hillier Hopkins’ team had been involved in testing, they already knew the software, so onboarding was easy
The relationship didn’t stop at go-live. The DutyDeclared team has continued to add functionality to the firm’s workspace to suit the way it works, and new upgrades have followed, including the ability to see goods that are over their ETA
What’s changed
Clearance is quicker, and the team can now see each declaration’s progress, which they couldn’t do with their previous supplier. That visibility makes it easier to keep an eye on every client’s goods
The team feels more confident about HMRC compliance, and VAT and duty calculations look accurate. Time savings are building gradually, as the team makes the cultural shift to a new way of working
“The key advantage for us is the agility of the DD team and their willingness to add function to our workspace to suit us. The “can do” attitude and the impression that nothing is too much trouble is so refreshing”
Ruth Corkin
Partner (VAT and Indirect Tax Advisory), Hillier Hopkins
You know customs inside out. Your platform should too
See how DutyDeclared works for brokers and advisers
CUSTOMER
Hillier Hopkins
TYPE
Chartered accountants and tax advisers
OFFICES
London, Watford and Milton Keynes
PREVIOUSLY USED
Another customs software provider
USES DUTYDECLARED FOR
Client customs declarations