Help Us Understand Who's In The Room

• Who will be our main point of contact for coordinating this audit response and platform evaluation? Options: Director of Trade Compliance, Import/Export Manager, VP of Supply Chain, Head of Legal, Head of Finance, Logistics Manager, Other (please name)
• Which stakeholders should be included in our core decision group for classification, filings, and remediation? Options: Trade Compliance, Supply Chain/Logistics, Finance/Customs Accounting, Legal/Regulatory, IT/ERP Admin, Procurement, Senior Executive Sponsor, Customs Broker(s), Other (please list)
• For each stakeholder group you listed, what is their single highest priority in this engagement (e.g., minimize back‑duty, avoid production delays, protect reputation)?
• How do the key stakeholders prefer decisions be made when there’s a trade‑off (e.g., speed vs thoroughness)? Options: Single approver (executive sign‑off), Consensus across groups, Compliance-led with operational input, Finance-led with compliance review, Escalate to executive sponsor, Undetermined
• Is there a named executive sponsor who will advocate for resources and timeline adherence? If so, please provide name and role.

If the Audit Finds Systemic Errors, Who’s Accountable?

• If CBP identifies systemic misclassifications, who in your organization would be expected to own the remediation and communicate externally? Options: Director of Trade Compliance, Legal, VP Supply Chain, Head of Finance, External Customs Broker, Cross-functional task force, Undetermined
• How would accountability be split across compliance, legal, finance, and supply chain for retroactive duties, penalties, and remediation costs?
• What level of executive visibility and reporting cadence would an adverse audit trigger (e.g., weekly board updates, immediate CEO briefing)? Options: Immediate executive/CEO briefing, Weekly updates to leadership, Monthly steering committee, Report only if material exposure > threshold, Other
• What is your organization's tolerance for retroactive duty exposure—what dollar ranges or percentages of annual duties would be considered critical? Options: Low (< $100k), Moderate ($100k–$1M), High ($1M–$5M), Severe (>$5M), Not quantified
• Share a recent example (if any) of how your company handled an audit or compliance lapse and what the organizational consequences were.

Timelines That Can't Slip — Where Do We Feel the Pressure?

• If customs clearance slows by a single week during remediation, what downstream impacts occur (e.g., production stoppage, lost sales, expedited freight cost)?
• Which product lines or SKUs are absolutely production‑critical or time‑sensitive during this window? Options: Finished goods for production, Critical components/parts, Seasonal inventory, High‑value electronics, Perishables, Hazardous materials, Other (please specify)
• What is the minimum customs clearance SLA you need to maintain to avoid operational disruption? Options: Same‑day clearance, 24–48 hours, 3–5 business days, Depends on product/port, Unsure
• Are there blackout periods (e.g., peak production weeks, seasonal launches) during which any change to classification or broker workflows is unacceptable? Please list dates or windows.
• How quickly must a remediation action be executed once agreed—hours, days, or weeks? Options: Within hours, 1–3 business days, Within 1–2 weeks, Longer (please explain)

What 'Good' Looks Like to Each Team

• If compliance could express 'success' as a single measurable outcome, which of these would matter most? Options: Classification accuracy %, Reduction in assessed duty $, Number of audit exceptions, Time to close audit findings, Contractual compliance warranties, Other (specify)
• If supply chain could express 'success' as one metric, which would it be? Options: Customs clearance time, On‑time production rate, Inventory days saved, Reduction in expedited freight cost, Fewer shipment holds, Other (specify)
• What target values or thresholds would satisfy each stakeholder (e.g., classification accuracy ≥ 98%, clearance ≤48h, duty exposure <$X)? Please be specific by role if possible.
• Besides numbers, what qualitative outcomes would indicate success (e.g., restored regulator confidence, smoother broker interactions, reduced internal audit interruptions)?
• Who needs to sign off on these success criteria—legal, finance, compliance, supply chain, or an executive sponsor? Options: Legal, Finance, Trade Compliance, VP Supply Chain, Executive Sponsor, Customs Broker, Other (list)

Assumptions We Should Test Immediately

• What core assumptions about your product data, ERP fields, or broker filings are we implicitly making that, if false, would derail our plan?
• Does your ERP or TMS consistently capture these trade data fields for active SKUs: HTS/commodity code, country of origin, net/net weight, and full product description? Options: All fields consistently present, Some fields present, inconsistent, Mostly missing, We use multiple systems/no single source
• Do you have a single primary customs broker for filings today, or do you use multiple brokers by port or region? Options: Single primary broker, Multiple brokers by region/port, In‑house filings, Hybrid model
• Have you previously run a reclassification or duty‑savings project? If yes, what was the scope and outcome? Options: Yes — documented savings and changes, Yes — attempted but stalled, No — never undertaken, Not sure
• Are there any contractual or third‑party constraints (e.g., supplier confidentiality, broker NDAs) that could slow data sharing for validation? Options: Yes — significant constraints, Some constraints but workable, No constraints, Unsure

Decision Mechanics — How Deals Actually Get Done Here

• What is the typical path from proposal to signature for IT/commercial contracts at your company (e.g., procurement → legal → finance → exec sign‑off)? Options: Procurement then legal then finance, Direct executive approval, Cross‑functional steering committee, Varies by dollar amount, Other (describe)
• Which documents or assurances are non‑negotiable before procurement/legal will execute (select all that apply)? Options: Statement of Work (SOW), Service Level Agreement (SLA), Licensed customs broker credentials, References from peers, Indemnity/insurance clauses, Compliance warranties, Audit remediation plan
• What is your typical internal review timeline for commercial and legal approval once a fully executed SOW is submitted? Options: < 1 week, 1–2 weeks, 2–4 weeks, 4–8 weeks, Longer/depends on cycle
• Are there budget cycle or fiscal deadlines that would force a decision by a certain date? If so, when?
• What would materially accelerate approval—e.g., an assurance letter from our broker, a small proof‑of‑value pilot, or an executive briefing? Options: Pilot on sample SKUs, Broker credentials & references, Executive briefing, Contractual warranty on classification, Other (specify)

Quick Signals — The Fast Wins That Build Trust

• What is the smallest, fastest deliverable that would convince you we understand your exposure and can reduce it? Options: Sample classification audit (50 SKUs), Duty‑savings estimate on top SKUs, Sandbox demo with your data, Broker credentials + client references, Other (specify)
• Would you be willing to provide a representative sample of SKUs and recent filings for a rapid health check? If yes, how many SKUs can you share immediately? Options: Yes — <50 SKUs, Yes — 50–250 SKUs, Yes — >250 SKUs, No, Need approval
• Which validation format would influence your team most: sandbox access, parallel run with your broker, a one‑page executive summary, or a full technical report? Options: Sandbox access with live queries, Parallel run against live entries, Executive summary + key findings, Full technical classification report, Combination
• Do you require industry‑specific references (same vertical, similar import volume) as a gating criterion? Options: Yes — same vertical required, Prefer same vertical but not required, No — any credible reference ok, Unsure
• How quickly could your team review and provide feedback on an initial sample report? Options: Within 48 hours, 3–5 business days, 1–2 weeks, Longer

Next Steps and Who Owns Them

• If we left this meeting without clarifying owners and deadlines, where is the project most likely to stall?
• Who will act as the day‑to‑day owner from your side for data collection, broker coordination, and decision alignment? Options: Director of Trade Compliance, Import/Export Manager, Supply Chain Manager, Finance Lead, IT/ERP Admin, Cross‑functional team
• Who is authorized to sign off on the mutual‑commit milestone (commercial terms and go/no‑go acceptance)? Options: Director of Trade Compliance, VP Supply Chain, CFO/Finance, Head of Legal, Executive Sponsor
• What meeting cadence and communication channels do you prefer for rapid alignment (select all that apply)? Options: Weekly working session, Bi‑weekly steering committee, Ad‑hoc as issues arise, Email summaries, Slack/Microsoft Teams channel, CustomerNode shared workspace
• Are there security, compliance, or procurement approvals we should queue now to avoid delays when data sharing is required? Options: Yes — security/compliance approvals required, Yes — procurement onboarding, No additional approvals, Unsure (need to check)

Let's Map Your Import Footprint

• Roughly how many import entries did your company file in the last 12 months? Options: < 500, 500–2,500, 2,500–10,000, 10,000–50,000, > 50,000, Don't know / need to check
• Which systems hold your import/entry data today (select all that apply)? Options: SAP, Oracle (E-Business Suite/Cloud), NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, Manhattan/Logistics WMS, Custom ERP, Freight forwarder portal, Broker portal, Other
• Which countries are your top three sources of import volume by value? Options: China, Mexico, Vietnam, India, Germany, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Other / Multiple
• Approximately what share of your import spend is concentrated in your top 10 SKUs? Options: < 10%, 10%–25%, 25%–50%, 50%–75%, > 75%, Don't know
• Tell us about one recent supply‑chain event (surge, delay, SKU change) that had a material customs impact.

What If Your Tariff Data Is Masking Millions?

• What evidence gives you confidence that your current HTS/commodity codes are correct across high‑value SKUs?
• How often do you find a mismatch between the supplier description and the HTS assigned at entry? Options: Never, Rarely (<1%), Occasionally (1%–5%), Often (5%–15%), Very often (>15%)
• Where do your classifications typically originate? (pick all that apply) Options: Supplier-provided code, In-house compliance, Customs broker recommendation, ERP default/mapping, Automated classification engine, External consultant/ ruling
• Give an example of a product family you suspect is systematically misclassified and why you think it’s high risk.
• What would you need to see to stop worrying about hidden duty exposure?

Who's Actually Signing Off When Risk Goes Up?

• If a multi‑million dollar retroactive assessment occurred, who in your organization would be held accountable?
• Who owns day‑to‑day classification decisions today? Options: Trade Compliance / Customs Team, Procurement / Sourcing, Operations / Logistics, External Customs Broker, 3PL / Freight Forwarder, Other
• What is the formal escalation path and decision SLA for classification disputes? Options: Immediate (real‑time), Same business day, 48 hours, Within a week, No formal process
• Which internal stakeholders must sign off before you change a classification or claim a preferential origin (select all that apply)? Options: Legal, Finance, Supply Chain/Operations, Procurement, Sales, Customs Broker, Executive Sponsor
• How do commercial pressures (pricing, landed cost, sales deadlines) influence classification decisions in practice?

If You Can’t Measure It, It Doesn’t Exist

• What metrics or reports do you currently use to prove classification quality or quantify duty exposure?
• Which KPIs do you actively track related to imports and compliance (select all that apply)? Options: Classification accuracy (%), Estimated annual duty exposure ($), Number of audit findings, Clearance SLA / Release time, Filing accuracy (%), Vendor classification coverage
• How frequently are those KPIs reported and to which audiences? Options: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Ad hoc / as needed
• What accuracy threshold would satisfy your compliance team for high‑risk SKUs? Options: ≥ 99%, ≥ 98%, ≥ 95%, ≥ 90%, Not sure
• Where do you believe your current measurement approach is blind or misleading?

Is Your Data Playing Hide‑and‑Seek?

• If we asked for a single canonical import dataset, what key fields would likely be missing or unreliable?
• Which of these data fields are consistently populated in your ERP/entry records? (select all that apply) Options: SKU / Part Number, Internal Product Description, Supplier Description, HTS / Commodity Code, Country of Origin, Invoice Value / COGS, Net/Gross Weight, Material / Composition, Manufacturer, Unit of Measure, None of the above
• How often is your product master updated with functional attributes (material, function, technical specs)? Options: Real‑time / integrated, Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Rarely / ad hoc
• Can you provide sample exports (CSV/Excel/API) — e.g., invoice + packing list + BOL + HTS — for a representative set of SKUs? Options: Yes — can share immediately, Yes — after NDA, Yes — but only redacted, No — not available, Unsure / need to check
• Describe any known formatting or data quality issues that typically break automated processing (e.g., free‑text descriptions, duplicate SKUs).

Did the Last Audit Fix Anything—or Just Move the Deck Chairs?

• After your most recent customs audit, how confident are you that the root causes were corrected rather than temporarily patched? Options: Very confident, Somewhat confident, Not confident, We didn't take corrective action, Unsure
• What were the primary audit findings and the total estimated exposure (if known)?
• What remediation steps were implemented and who owns their ongoing verification?
• Were broker practices or broker‑side filings implicated in past findings? Options: Yes — broker was primary cause, Yes — broker contributed, No — internal process was primary, Unsure
• Have you had repeat findings on the same issue across multiple audits? Options: Yes — repeatedly, Yes — twice, Once, No

What Would ‘Good’ Look Like—Day to Day?

• Imagine six months post‑deployment: what would you notice operationally that tells you the solution is working?
• Which outcomes would be highest priority to protect your business? (select up to three) Options: Reduce retroactive duty exposure, Improve classification accuracy, Sustain / speed up clearance times, Reduce audit findings, Reduce broker errors, Automate documentation and audit trails
• What SLA for classification review or dispute resolution would be acceptable to operations and compliance? Options: Real‑time (<1 hour), Same business day, 48 hours, Up to 5 business days, No formal SLA required
• How should duty savings or remediation benefits be surfaced internally (finance accruals, monthly reporting, scorecards)?
• What level of broker credentialing or experience would make you comfortable to move forward? Options: Licensed U.S. Customs Broker, Demonstrated audit remediation experience, Industry‑specific product experience, Global filing capability, Prefer incumbent broker, Other

If We Started Tomorrow, What Data Moves the Needle?

• Which single dataset or report—if shared—would allow us to model your likely duty exposure within 48 hours? Options: Detailed entry‑level ledger (12 months), Invoice + packing list + BOL (sample set), SKU master with material/function attributes, Broker classification report / prior rulings, All of the above, Other
• In what formats can you provide data extracts? Options: CSV / Excel, API access, EDI / XML, Database dump (SQL), PDF only, Other
• What security, compliance, or legal requirements must we meet before receiving sensitive import data? Options: Standard mutual NDA, Company security questionnaire, SOC 2 report, SFTP with encryption, Vendor security assessment, Other
• Who should be our primary POC(s) to coordinate data extracts, broker engagement, and technical access? Options: Director of Trade Compliance, IT / Integration Lead, Customs Broker Contact, Supply Chain Lead, Head of Procurement, External Consultant
• How quickly can you deliver a representative sample of 25–50 entries for high‑risk SKUs (including invoices and BOLs)? Options: Within 48 hours, Within 1 week, Within 2 weeks, Longer than 2 weeks, Cannot provide

A Quick Hello: Who We're Talking To

• What is your role and how should we address you during this engagement? Options: Director of Trade Compliance, Import/Export Manager, VP of Supply Chain, General Counsel / Legal, Head of Logistics, Other — please specify
• What triggered this conversation today—how did the issue surface? Options: CBP audit notification, Internal classification review, Shipment holdups at customs, Broker escalation, Insurance claim / penalty notice, Other
• Which of the following best describes your company's import scale? Options: <$10M annual import spend, $10M–$50M, $50M–$250M, $250M–$1B, >$1B, Prefer not to say
• Which product categories make up the majority of your imports? (choose all that apply) Options: Electronics & components, Apparel & textiles, Industrial machinery & parts, Chemicals / materials, Consumer goods / household, Food & beverage, Medical devices / pharma, Other — specify
• What are the top 1–3 KPIs you and your leaders will use to judge whether a remediation is successful? Options: Duty exposure reduction ($), Classification accuracy (%), Customs clearance SLA (%), Reduction in audit findings, Fewer entry delays, Improved denied‑party screening accuracy, Other — specify

When the Audit Alarm Rang — What's Different?

• When you first got the audit notice, what surprised you most about what might be at risk? Options: Scale of potentially misclassified entries, Depth of required documentation, Potential back duties/penalties, Internal ownership gaps, Impact to production timelines, Other
• How long ago did you receive the notification or first suspect classification issues? Options: Less than 2 weeks, 2–6 weeks, 6–12 weeks, 3–6 months, More than 6 months
• Had you previously conducted any internal or external classification reviews before this audit? Tell us what changed. Options: No prior reviews, Periodic internal audits only, External review in past 24 months, Ad hoc corrections after shipment issues, Other — explain
• What immediate actions did you take once the issue was identified, and what worked or didn't?
• Which outcome would feel worst if it came to pass from this audit? Options: Large retroactive duty bill, Criminal or knowing violation findings, Repeat audits and ongoing scrutiny, Long customs delays disrupting supply chain, Loss of customer trust, Other

Where the Risk Actually Lives

• If you had to point to a single process, system, or person most responsible for classification drift, where would your finger land? Options: Manual ERP entry process, Multiple brokers with different rules, Legacy classification spreadsheets, Lack of subject matter expert ownership, Supplier-origin inconsistencies, Other — describe
• How are HTS/HS codes currently assigned and validated in your flow? Options: Centralized compliance team assigns, Individual buyers/receiving clerks assign, Broker assigns at filing time, Automated rule engine (legacy), Mix of the above, Other — explain
• Tell us about your broker relationships—how many active brokers and how responsibilities are split? Options: Single global broker, Single national broker + local partners, Multiple regional brokers (~2–5), Many brokers (>5), We use broker per shipment, Other
• Where have you seen the most repeat classification or screening failures in the last 12 months? Options: Specific product family (specify), Certain country of origin, Particular vendor/supplier, Specific entry type (e.g., informal vs formal), Broker filings, We haven't tracked this
• On a scale, how complete and reliable are the ERP fields we would need for automation (e.g., detailed product description, material composition, net weight, country of origin)? Options: Fully complete and reliable, Mostly complete with gaps, Patchy and inconsistent, Mostly missing, Not sure / need IT check

How This Disruption Feels (and Who It's Hitting)

• How has the audit or classification uncertainty shifted daily priorities across compliance, supply chain, and commercial teams?
• Which team is feeling the most operational pain right now? Options: Compliance/Trade, Supply Chain/Logistics, Customs Broker/Third Party, Sales/Commercial, Legal/Finance, IT
• What are the real-world impacts you’ve already seen (e.g., production delays, canceled shipments, lost sales, cashflow issues)? Please give one or two concrete examples.
• How stressed or confident do your executive sponsors feel about surviving this audit without major reputational or financial damage? Options: Very confident, Cautiously optimistic, Worried but pragmatic, Very concerned
• When this is resolved, what emotional outcome matters most to you personally (relief, restored control, proof of compliance, reputation repair, other)? Options: Relief / reduced stress, Restored process control, Clear audit record and compliance proof, Reduced scrutiny going forward, Other — specify

What Success Actually Looks Like — Not Just Numbers

• If you woke up 90 days from now and everything we did was a success, what is the first thing you'd notice in your day-to-day work?
• Which measurable outcomes must we meet to call this remediation a win? Select all that apply. Options: Duty exposure reduced by $, Classification accuracy above %, Clearance SLAs met for X% of entries, No material findings in follow-up audit, Time to classify per SKU reduced, Other — specify
• What minimum classification accuracy and filing accuracy thresholds would you require during acceptance testing? Options: >99%, 98–99%, 95–97%, 90–94%, Unsure — need help defining
• Which stakeholder outcomes beyond compliance matter most (e.g., duty savings, speed to customs release, fewer false positives in screening)? Rank your top three. Options: Duty savings, Faster customs clearance, Reduced audit risk, Lower operational friction, Better supplier data quality, Stronger broker relationship
• What acceptance evidence would make procurement, legal, and your VP sign off (e.g., broker credentials, test report, reference calls, warranty language)? Options: Licensed broker credentials, Classification accuracy test report, Reference checks with peers, Commercial warranties, Audit support plan, Other

Proving the Solution: Data, Samples, and Tests

• Do you have an extractable dataset we can run classification and duty‑savings scenarios against right away? Options: Yes, full dataset ready, Partial dataset ready, We can extract if you provide spec, No, need help exporting
• Which of these data elements can you reliably provide in a test extract? Options: SKU/part number, Full product description, Material composition / BOM, Country of origin, Unit value / invoice, Previous HTS code used, None / limited
• How many representative SKUs would you be comfortable providing as a sample (we recommend at least 50–300 across top categories)? Options: <50, 50–100, 100–300, 300–1,000, >1,000
• Which test scenarios matter most to you for validation? Options: Classification accuracy against annotated ground truth, Duty‑savings modeling, Audit remediation workflow test, Denied‑party screening false positive rate, Customs filing accuracy simulation, All of the above
• Are there any privacy, IP, or supplier confidentiality constraints we should know about before requesting data samples? Options: No constraints, Redacted descriptions allowed, Must sign NDA before any data transfer, Cannot share supplier names / values, Other — specify

Systems, Integrations and The Mess In Between

• Which one system or integration failure would break your ability to automate classification and filings? Options: ERP lacks required fields, Broker EDI/API unavailable, TMS disconnects shipment data, No single source of truth for product master, Customs portal constraints, Other — specify
• Which ERP and trade systems are in play? (select all that apply) Options: SAP ECC / S/4HANA, Oracle EBS / Cloud, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, Manhattan / Descartes, Homebuilt / legacy, Other — specify
• Do you currently have a sandbox or test environment where we can validate integrations without touching production? Options: Yes, full sandbox available, Partial test environment, No sandbox but can schedule controlled tests, No test environment available
• How governed and consistent is your product master data across systems (descriptions, BOMs, attributes)? Options: Highly governed and consistent, Mostly consistent with exceptions, Significant inconsistencies, No central product master
• What internal IT constraints or change windows would impact our integration timeline (e.g., quarterly freeze, security approvals)?

People, Decisions, and Confidence Levers

• Who must sign off for us to access confidential import data and run live or parallel tests? Options: Director Trade Compliance, VP Supply Chain, Legal/Privacy, CISO/IT Security, Finance, Other — specify
• Who will be the single point of contact for day‑to‑day work and who is the executive sponsor?
• What internal objections or political dynamics should we anticipate when proposing changes to classification processes? Options: Cost/ROI skepticism, Broker pushback, IT bandwidth constraints, Fear of admitting past mistakes, Procurement control concerns, Other
• How important are third‑party credentials and references to your decision (licensed broker, audit remediation experience, industry references)? Options: Critical, Very important, Somewhat important, Nice to have, Not important
• If a trusted peer with similar volume vouched for us, how much would that accelerate your internal approval? Options: Greatly accelerate, Somewhat accelerate, Little effect, No effect

Timing, Risk Controls, and 'Go/No‑Go' Lines

• What hard timeline are you operating under for remediation or cutover (weeks/months) before the audit escalates? Options: <2 weeks, 2–4 weeks, 1–3 months, 3–6 months, Flexible / no hard deadline
• How long are you willing to run a parallel process before fully cutting over to a new automated workflow? Options: 1–2 weeks, 2–4 weeks, 1–2 months, 2–4 months, Prefer phased by category
• What maximum classification or filing error rate is acceptable during the validation period? Options: <0.5%, <1%, <2%, <5%, We need help defining this
• Would you require contractual risk controls such as escrow, indemnity for classification errors, or audit support clauses? Options: Yes — indemnity and audit support, Partial — audit support only, Escrow for source code/data, No contractual add‑ons required, Unsure — need to discuss
• What would be a decisive reason for you to pause or stop the engagement before cutover? Options: Test failure to meet acceptance thresholds, Security/IT blocker, Executive budget pullback, Unacceptable contract terms, Reference checks red flags, Other — specify

Closing the Loop: How We'll Work Together

• If we were to partner, what single promise or guarantee would make you feel we truly understood and owned the problem?
• Which communication cadence do you prefer during discovery and parallel testing? Options: Daily standup (short), Twice weekly checkpoints, Weekly status update + ad hoc for blockers, Biweekly executive recap
• Which stakeholders should be included in a shared channel for real‑time issues (e.g., Slack/Teams)? Options: Trade Compliance, Broker / 3PL, IT, Operations / Supply Chain, Legal, Finance
• What would be the best next step from your perspective after this discovery (e.g., schedule data handoff, run a 50‑SKU pilot, executive review)? Options: Provide sample data and spec, Schedule pilot run on sample SKUs, Executive alignment call, Proof‑of‑value report on top spend categories, Other — specify
• How ready are you to start the first validation activities if we agree on scope and NDAs today? Options: Ready immediately, Ready within 1–2 weeks, Ready in 2–4 weeks, Need longer / not ready

What Brought Us Together Today?

• What's prompted this conversation right now? Options: CBP audit notice, Internal audit or quality review, Customs broker flagged concern, Supply chain disruption/delays, Proactive risk assessment, Other
• When did you first become aware of the issue and how has it evolved since then?
• Who on your team is leading the response and which teams will need to be closely involved? Options: Director of Trade Compliance, Import/Export Manager, VP of Supply Chain, Logistics/Operations, Procurement, Legal, External Broker/Consultant, Other
• How urgent is remediation from your perspective? Options: Immediate (days), Near-term (2–4 weeks), Short-term (1–3 months), Longer runway (3+ months), Unsure
• What outcome would make you feel this engagement was successful in the next 90 days? Options: Reduced retroactive duty exposure, Improved classification accuracy, Maintained clearance speed, Clear remediation plan and owner, Defensible audit documentation, Other

Could This Be Much Bigger Than You Think?

• What would it mean for operations and cost if misclassification isn't isolated but systemic across your product catalog?
• Approximately how many unique SKUs or tariff-line entries are in scope for imports? Options: <100, 100–1,000, 1,001–10,000, 10,001–50,000, 50,000+
• Which product categories do you believe carry the highest classification risk? Options: Electronics, Mechanical parts, Textiles/apparel, Chemicals/compounds, Medical devices, Consumer goods, Software/embedded, Other
• Do you currently maintain a single source of truth for tariff classifications? Options: ERP master data, Central classification database, Broker-maintained records, Individual business-unit spreadsheets, No single source
• How confident are you in the accuracy of classifications today on a scale from 0 (not confident) to 10 (fully confident)? Please give examples of high-risk items if possible.
• Have you previously found recurring misclassifications during past audits or reviews? If so, which patterns repeated?

Where Are Duty Dollars Quietly Leaking?

• If one reclassification or trade agreement claim could save a material amount annually, how would that reprioritize your team's focus?
• Do you track annual duties paid by tariff heading or product family today? Options: Yes — by tariff heading, Yes — by product family, Partial tracking, No, we do not track
• What percentage of your entries currently claim preferential treatment (FTAs, GSP, etc.)? Options: None, Under 10%, 10–30%, 30–60%, Over 60%, Unsure
• Have you attempted retroactive recovery or duty drawback in the last 3 years? Options: Yes — successful, Yes — unsuccessful, No — but considered, No — never
• How do you currently estimate potential duty savings—ad hoc spreadsheets, broker estimates, internal models, or something else? Options: Ad hoc spreadsheets, Broker-provided assessment, Internal financial model, Third-party consultant, Not estimated
• Who has final sign-off authority for reclassification or filing corrections? Options: Director of Trade Compliance, VP Supply Chain, Legal, CFO, Cross-functional committee, Other

Who Will Lose Sleep If Clearance Slows?

• If classification changes or remediation cause a clearance delay, which business outcomes are most at risk? Options: Production downtime, Retail stockouts, Customer delivery SLAs, Increased freight costs, Regulatory escalation, Other
• What are your current customs clearance SLAs or expectations (e.g., hours to release, first-time clearance rate)? Options: Same day/under 24 hours, 1–3 days, 3–7 days, Variable by mode/route, No formal SLA
• How many external brokers do you use and how do you allocate entries between them? Options: Single broker (all entries), Primary + backups, Multiple brokers by region, Broker chosen by forwarder, Other
• How do you balance speed versus compliance when brokers propose trade-offs?
• Which stakeholders would need daily updates during a remediation period? Options: Trade Compliance, Supply Chain/Ops, Procurement, Legal/Regulatory, Finance, Executive Sponsor
• Have you ever paused shipments or rerouted inventory because of customs issues? Tell us what happened and the business impact.

Is Your Data Playing Hide-and-Seek?

• What if your ERP and packing lists never captured the attributes needed for correct HTS identification—how would we find that out?
• Which systems hold the source product and trade data we would need to access? Options: ERP (SAP/Oracle/etc.), PIM/Master Data, WMS/TMS, Broker portal(s), Spreadsheets/CSV exports, Other
• Does your product master capture fields such as material composition, technical specifications, end-use, and country of origin? Options: All fields present and structured, Some fields present but inconsistent, Mostly missing, Unsure
• How would you rate the quality of product descriptions used for classification (accurate, terse, inconsistent, proprietary codes only)? Options: High-quality descriptive text, Often terse/abbreviated, Inconsistent across suppliers, Mostly internal codes with little description
• Can you provide a sample extract of product records and historical filing data for testing? If not, what are the blockers? Options: Yes — ready to provide, Yes — needs extraction work, Partial data available, No — privacy/regulatory blocker, Unsure
• Who owns access and API credentials for these systems, and what will be the expected timeline to grant read-only access?

Could You Confidently Defend Every Classification?

• If CBP requested supporting technical justifications for a sample of entries, could you produce clear, dated evidence for each classification today? Options: Yes — for most entries, Only partially — some entries, No — insufficient documentation, Unsure
• Do you keep a versioned audit trail that shows who made classification decisions, the rationale, and source references? Options: Yes — centralized and versioned, Decentralized records per business unit, Ad hoc notes/spreadsheets, No audit trail
• Have you received binding rulings, tariff classification decisions, or precedent documents for critical SKUs? Options: Yes — for multiple SKUs, Yes — limited cases, No — none, Unsure
• When you discover a misclassification, what remediation path do you prefer: reclassification + refile, defensive disclosure, or pay and minimize future exposure? Options: Reclassify + refile (recover duties if possible), Defensive disclosure, Pay and implement controls, Case-by-case
• What documentation format and depth would make your legal and compliance teams feel comfortable (e.g., HTS cite + technical spec + provenance)?

What Would 'Perfect' Look Like for You?

• Imagine a world with zero classification surprises and on-time clearance—what three measurable changes would prove that for you?
• Which KPI thresholds would you set to accept a solution? (Pick all that apply) Options: Classification accuracy ≥ 95%, First-time clearance rate ≥ 98%, Screening false-positive rate ≤ 2%, Duty-savings identified vs baseline ≥ X%, Filing accuracy ≥ 99%
• Who must sign off on acceptance criteria and final go/no-go (roles or committees)? Options: Director of Trade Compliance, VP Supply Chain, Legal, Finance/CFO, Procurement, Executive sponsor
• What is your desired time-to-value for meaningful results (pilot validation, SLA improvements, or duty-savings identified)? Options: 2–4 weeks, 1–2 months, 2–4 months, 4+ months, Unsure
• What continuing governance would you like post-deployment (quarterly reviews, classification change board, shared error dashboard)? Options: Quarterly business reviews, Classification change board, Real-time shared dashboard, Ad hoc reviews, Other

Are You Ready to Move Beyond CYA to Real Change?

• What would make leadership approve moving from a reactive audit response to a proactive classification program?
• Who are the formal decision-makers and approvers for commercial commitments in this area? Options: Procurement, Legal, Finance, Trade Compliance, Supply Chain/Operations, C-level/Executive Sponsor
• Which compliance and vendor checks are mandatory before you can sign (e.g., broker license, broker credentials, insurance, SOC reports, warranties)? Options: Licensed customs broker, Professional indemnity/insurance, SOC/ISO reports, Compliance warranties, Reference checks, Other
• Do you require references or case studies from companies with similar import volume/product complexity? Options: Yes — must match industry and scale, Yes — similar scale only, Maybe, No
• What budget cadence and range would you anticipate for remediation and platform adoption? Options: Approval within current quarter, Next quarter, Within 6 months, Depends on ROI case, Unsure

Can We Run a Risk-Free Pilot Together?

• Would you consider a parallel run that validates classification accuracy and filing workflows without impacting live clearance? Options: Yes — strong preference, Yes — with caveats, Maybe — need more info, No
• How many SKUs or historical shipments would you be comfortable including in a pilot sample? Options: 10–50 SKUs, 51–200 SKUs, 201–1,000 SKUs, 1,000+ SKUs, Prefer shipments by value or exposure
• Can you provide historical outcomes (duties assessed, prior rulings, penalties) for those pilot records? Options: Yes — full history available, Partial history available, No — limited data, Unsure
• Which KPIs will validate pilot success for you (pick top 3)? Options: Classification accuracy, Duty-savings identified, Filing accuracy, Reduction in false positives for screening, No impact to clearance SLA, Quality of audit trail
• Who will be the day-to-day owner from your side to coordinate data extracts, broker engagement, and parallel runs?
• Are there legal, regulatory, or commercial constraints we should know about before designing a pilot? Options: Supplier confidentiality, Export control restrictions, Broker contractual terms, IT/security constraints, None, Other