Import and Export Booking Agent
Company Description Falcon Express Services Qatar is a Qatari logistics company with over 24 years of industry experience and is recognized as one of the country’s leading logistical firms. Since 1994, Falcon Express has been serving as a Global Service Provider (GSP) for Federal Express Corporation (FedEx).
Role Summary The Import & Export Booking Agent is responsible for managing the end-to-end lifecycle of both import and export shipment bookings from reviewing and validating booking requests through to final delivery. This role acts as a critical link between shippers, pick-up operations, and customers, ensuring accuracy in documentation, timely pick-up execution, and proactive communication throughout the shipment journey in both directions. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, process driven, and comfortable working in a fast paced back-office environment where accuracy and timeliness directly impact customer experience.
Key Responsibilities
Booking Review & Documentation (Import & Export)- Review incoming import and export booking requests for completeness and accuracy.
- Verify shipping documents (commercial invoice, packing list, certificates of origin, permits, export licenses, letters of credit where applicable, etc.) against booking details and regulatory requirements for both origin and destination countries.
- Identify and flag discrepancies or missing documentation and coordinate with the shipper/booking party for corrections prior to processing.
- Perform embargo checks, and commodity restrictions before proceeding such as DG shipment
- Generate the Air Waybill (AWB) accurately based on verified shipment and document details, for both inbound (import) and outbound (export) shipments.
- Create the import and export pick-up request with the correct pick-up location, timing, and handling instructions.
- Monitor pick-up requests in the system and follow up proactively with the operations team to ensure timely execution on both import and export shipments.
- Escalate delayed or at-risk pick-ups to line manager before they impact service commitments.
- Provide customers with timely, proactive status updates at key milestones for both directions: booking confirmation, AWB generation, pick-up, transit, customs clearance, and final delivery.
- Immediately inform customers of any changes to the final chargeable weight and explain the impact, if any, on cost or service for both import and export shipments and inform Pricing Agent for rate revision.
- Communicate any special handling requirements or instructions raised by the shipper (e.g., dangerous goods, temperature control, fragile handling, non-stackable handling, documentation holds) to the customer promptly.
- Manage customer expectations by setting clear, realistic timelines and proactively communicating delays, exceptions, or changes rather than waiting for the customer to follow up.
- Monitor shipment movement continuously from pick-up through customs clearance to final delivery.
- Update internal systems and customers at each significant milestone until Proof of Delivery (POD) is obtained.
- Identify shipments that are delayed, stuck, or exception-flagged, and take ownership of driving resolution (e.g., coordinating with customs, gateway, origin/destination station teams).
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date shipment records/logs for both import and export bookings for audit and reporting purposes.
- Maintain strong working knowledge of customs regulations, prohibited/restricted commodities, and documentation standards relevant to both import and export shipments across trade lanes handled.
- Identify recurring issues (e.g., repeated documentation errors from a specific shipper, frequent missed export cut-offs) and flag trends to the team lead for process or account-level correction.
- Support root-cause analysis of service failures (missed pick-ups, missed cut-offs, delayed deliveries, documentation rejections) and contribute to corrective action plans.
- Adhere to defined SLAs/KPIs for booking turnaround time, pick-up success rate, cut-off adherence, first-contact resolution, and customer update timeliness across both import and export workflows.
- Participate in continuous improvement initiatives to streamline the booking touchpoints.
- Stay updated on system/tool changes, process updates, and compliance/regulatory changes affecting both import and export