Belfast-based luggage shipping company My Baggage has invested more than £300,000 to develop and launch proprietary new technology which will simplify the customs process for customers.
And it has also established a footprint in Paris – a significantly growing market for the brand – and is supporting Irish athletes and visitors to Olympics to get their luggage to and from the host city stress free.
The company, originally founded in 2009 to transport student belongings to and from university, has established an office in Paris and added additional routes to and from France.
My Baggage (mybaggage.com) ships items including luggage, boxes and sports equipment to more than 160 countries and territories globally, with full online tracking
It is currently supporting Irish athlete Victoria Catterson by shipping her luggage to and from Paris to help ensure safe and timely delivery of all her essentials and avoid the stress of travelling with heavy luggage.
The firm’s managing director Paul Stewart said: “Our new office in France is part of the continued growth and development plans for My Baggage with expansion into France being a logical next step for us as it is our largest non-English speaking region for expat customers.
“We are delighted to see the increase in demand for our services from both Irish athletes and visitors alike and are happy we can help by transporting their luggage safely and efficiently to their desired French destinations.”
To ensure customer service remains a priority for the company, My Baggage’s new team in Paris is helping to expand its offer with support from native French speakers to help with local operations and communications with French customers.
My Baggage’s new customs clearance technology is also playing an important role in the company’s expansion into France and indeed other growth areas including Australia.
The technology has been developed in response to the increasingly varied customs processes for the countries reached by My Baggage’s services.
The fully digital customs clearance process – which has been developed in-house over the last three years and offers paperless customs in 100 countries – is helping people who are moving or travelling internationally through the secure and compliant exchange of data which automates the previously time-consuming and complicated task of preparing a shipment and completing required customs paperwork for their final destination.
Mark Irvine, the engineering director responsible for developing the bespoke customs technology, added: “When using the software, customers only need to answer a set of questions online, upload their passports and list the items they are sending.
“My Baggage will then generate all the paperwork needed for the customer’s destination and submit it electronically to the customs authority on their behalf, helping to significantly reduce the amount of admin work required when preparing for an already stressful move or international trip.”