Visiting the MIC: The casual topic of customs

Within the EU it has long since ceased to exist: customs. However, our alumni found out during their visit to MIC Datenverarbeitung GmbH that customs is becoming increasingly important and can be a very profitable business.
 

Although we lost our way into the old building at first, the factory tour of the MIC Data Processing GmbH with a positive impression: As a welcome in the modern new building we were not only given a hand, but also our own beer and branded dark chocolate. The fact that the authorised signatory and the head of personnel of the large Austrian company introduced themselves as "Rainer" and "Margit" contributed to a relaxed atmosphere. The relaxed chat to get into the mood was followed by an obligatory company presentation, which was made extremely entertaining by a general introduction to the topic and the repeated interspersion of personal experiences.
 

Why companies need software for customs clearance
 

In the course of the presentation we learned that the importance of customs changes with the economy. Whereas the production of goods used to take place largely within the country's own borders, this is increasingly shifting to third countries due to cost pressure from global competition. Even small and medium-sized enterprises, which are run as family businesses, are now having all or part of their production carried out in countries outside the internal market. In this context, the instrument of customs no longer serves primarily to collect duties, but fulfils a protective function to ensure the competitiveness of domestic industry.

The relevance of a software provider specialized in customs clearance in this context was also impressively demonstrated: On the one hand, the increasing digitalisation and automation of the economy means that ordering, production and delivery times are becoming shorter and shorter. On the other hand, there are over 600 free trade agreements worldwide, which must be taken into account. In addition, nation states repeatedly change their customs laws and customs tariffs at short notice or impose sanctions on other countries, which must clearly be taken into account. Moreover, there are also challenges at the company level, which relate, for example, to the assignment of the correct customs tariff numbers to individual products.
 

Good business requires new forces
 

MIC Datenverarbeitung GmbH benefits from the fact that customs clearance is becoming more and more complex but at the same time has to be carried out faster and faster. The company currently has 350 employees and, according to its own statements, is growing by an average of 15% per year and currently has to hire 50 to 60 new employees from the business information technology department every year to ensure that incoming orders are processed in the best possible quality. There is a need for this, as the personnel manager of Third best employer in Austria (of the category Large), not only in software development, but also in project management, maintenance and support.

One tries to lure new workers not only with the usual market benefits, but also with promising job prospects abroad and an intangible good called "appreciation". This is exactly what we as visitors experienced - in the form of a generous catering, which we were treated to after a short tour of the new premises.