For importers, exporters and international trading teams

Virtual assistants for import and export businesses

Keep shipment paperwork and questions connected across suppliers, buyers and your appointed specialists. An assistant can gather documents, track revisions and prepare review packets. We recruit and prepare them for your trading business and agreed responsibilities before handoff.

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A complete folder can still contain conflicting details.

The supplier invoice names one consignee, the packing list uses another and the broker has requested clarification. Sending the same folder again will not answer the question.

An assistant can identify the conflicting fields, preserve the source versions and gather the information your broker or trade lead requests. Qualified decisions stay with the person responsible for them.

The work to hand off

Give trade-document follow-up a clear record.

Shipment document requests

Work from the checklist supplied by your trade team or appointed broker. Request the identified commercial and packing documents, record receipt and follow up on missing items.

What you get back: A document register linked to the shipment and required reviewer

Supplier and buyer correspondence

Maintain the administrative questions, responsible contacts and expected replies for each shipment. Keep a changed instruction visible instead of burying it in a long thread.

What you get back: A correspondence log with outstanding decisions and source messages

Revision and reference checks

Compare the administrative fields your reviewer specifies across the supplied files. Flag conflicting references, versions or party details without deciding which legal or commercial value is correct.

What you get back: A discrepancy list with both source values and the person asked to resolve them

Broker and operations handoffs

Assemble the requested packet and route responses from the broker or operations team. Record the status they report and the action they authorize next.

What you get back: A review packet and follow-up log that preserve specialist instructions

Illustrative workflow

Resolve a document mismatch before the next broker handoff.

The example concerns administrative completeness, not customs clearance or a legal determination.

A checklist is supplied

Assistant preparesRecord the requested documents and the reviewer responsible for them.

Your team decidesThe documents and fields required for this shipment.

Supplier files arrive

Assistant preparesLog each version and compare the specified reference fields.

Your team decidesWhether the supplied information meets the trade team's requirements.

A mismatch is found

Assistant preparesPresent the differing values with links to both documents.

Your team decidesWhich source needs correction and who may issue it.

A corrected file is received

Assistant preparesRetain the earlier version and route the new one for review.

Your team decidesWhether the correction resolves the issue.

The packet is handed over

Assistant preparesSend the authorized package and track the next instruction.

Your team decidesFiling, release, classification and other specialist actions.

Illustrative example — not a client record

A broker-review discrepancy record

This example makes a party-name mismatch visible without choosing a replacement value.

Shipment reference: Example entryIllustrative shipment T-09; document packet awaiting review.; What to provide or checkUse the reference recognized by the trade team and broker.
Invoice entry: Example entryCommercial invoice names consignee Entity A.; What to provide or checkLink the exact invoice version being compared.
Packing-list entry: Example entryPacking list names consignee Entity B.; What to provide or checkPreserve the different value and its source.
Clarification requested: Example entryTrade lead to confirm the correct instruction and who issues the revision.; What to provide or checkDo not alter a supplier document to make the fields match.
Packet status: Example entryMismatch remains open; broker receives the discrepancy for review.; What to provide or checkKeep document receipt separate from specialist acceptance or clearance.

Ready to hand over when: The responsible reviewer can trace both values and request an authorized correction; the packet does not imply clearance.

Download the blank template (CSV)

No email required. The file includes field names and guidance, with blank spaces for your own inputs. Use it to describe the work during matching; keep private client information out of an initial inquiry.

Shape the role around the workload

Is document coordination the work slowing your team down?

A useful fit when

Repeated shipments require document requests, revised files and follow-up between several organizations.
You have an appointed broker or trade lead who supplies the checklist and decides exceptions.

Discuss the setup first

If you need customs representation or a compliance specialist, that is a different qualification and authority requirement.
If the role includes payment handling or regulated filings, those responsibilities and controls must be defined separately before matching.

Managed support provides a dedicated, full-time assistant. Direct-hire responsibilities, hours and employment terms are agreed during matching.

Trade specialists make trade decisions.

An assistant can coordinate the records your team needs without representing the role as customs brokerage or compliance advice.

Customs classification, declarations, representation and clearance decisions belong to authorized specialists.
Sanctions, export-control, origin and other legal determinations require the responsible qualified reviewer.
Your team approves commercial terms, payment instructions and changes to counterparties or shipping commitments.

Bring a shipment checklist and a typical document exception.

01The document list and administrative fields your broker or trade team wants checked.
02Your approved supplier, buyer and broker contacts.
03Version rules, correction authority and the source used for shipment status.
04Your systems, document-access requirements and communication coverage across time zones.

Recruit. Prepare. Hand over.

Recruited for you. Trained for your industry.

First, we discuss your niche and the work you want your assistant to own. Then we recruit and prepare them in depth for the industry and responsibilities agreed with you before handoff. The matching conversation defines the skills, tools and preparation time your role needs.

We assess English fluency, practical problem-solving and independent judgment, so your assistant can work through the next step and recognize when to bring you in.

Choose the support behind your hire.

Managed assistant

A dedicated, full-time assistant through our service, with ongoing support from our team. One monthly fee.

Explore managed support

Direct hire

We recruit and train an assistant for you to hire directly into your team. You manage the day-to-day. One placement fee.

Explore direct hiring

The examples on these pages are a starting point. Bring the broader range of work you want covered to the matching call. We agree responsibilities, preparation time, working hours, fees and terms before you start.

Before you bring someone on

Is this a customs-broker service?: No. This page describes staffing for administrative coordination around trade documents and correspondence. Customs representation, filings and other regulated responsibilities remain with the authorized specialists you engage.
Can an assistant check invoices and packing lists?: They can compare the administrative fields your team specifies and highlight differences with source references. Deciding which value is legally or commercially correct is a separate review task.
Can they communicate with overseas suppliers?: Supplier follow-up can be included with the contact permissions, languages and working hours agreed during matching. Language ability and time-zone coverage are requirements to assess, not assumptions about every assistant.
Can they confirm a shipment has cleared?: They can relay the status reported by your authorized broker or operations source. They should distinguish that report from an estimate or an inference based on documents being uploaded.
How do we hire and prepare the assistant?: We recruit and prepare the assistant for your agreed workflow before handoff. Managed support is dedicated and full-time for a monthly fee with ongoing team support. Direct hire covers recruitment and training for a placement fee; duties, hours and terms are agreed first.

Make the next trade-document question easier to resolve.

Bring the files and follow-ups your team repeats for each shipment. We will help define a coordination role around your appointed reviewers.

Find your assistant

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