Understandably, many want to do business in a vibrant, growing economy like Brazil's, but one needs to understand the implications of working with the government there from the standpoint of import-export regulations, documentation and taxes, Miller says. "These are critical elements that our clients face when looking to do business there."

Flash specializes in providing logistics services for critical parts storage and delivery, and many of its customers are in telecommunications in way or another. "We find that the upfront design that we put in place for them is advantageous in the early stages of the process and throughout the relationship with the government as they do business there," Miller says.

Translating imported product or parts descriptions into local languages is critical. So is defining what the product does and how it services the communications infrastructure of the country.

"They must understand that our clients are service companies, not companies just looking to sell something without following all the rules governing those transactions."

To service its customers, Flash Global has a command center in country staffed with local management. "That solidifies a good relationship with the government," he says. Then, in addition to working to translate and define the customer's products, services and objectives, Flash establishes a supply chain lane that moves product from the U.S. to Brazil fast. "Our clients are able to hold less product in Brazil because the supply chain created out of the U.S. is  more efficient."

Working in Brazil can prepare companies looking to expand into other parts of South America, particularly Argentina, Chile and Peru, Miller says. Like Brazil, most have stringent rules on importing and exporting. "So working with the dynamics of the Brazilian government is transferable to working in other countries, especially when it comes to servicing high-tech equipment."



Keywords: Transportation & Distribution, Inventory Planning & Optimization, Reverse Logistics, Service Parts Management, Third-Party Logistics, Global Logistics, Logistics, Latin America, Brazilian Import-Export Regulations, Brazilian Telecommunications