Previous studies have indicated a possibility to implement Lean thinking and tools within service- oriented organisations. The term Lean originates from Toyotas production system. Lately it has been applied to several different organisations within the service sector. The basic idea is to use fewer resources and still deliver the same or an increased value to the customer. A successful implementation typically results in less resource allocation and an increased capacity for the organisation thanks to more efficient procedures where the flow of information is digitalised. This study have investigated the possibility to apply a Lean approach to a Third Party Logistics provider located in Oman. As a third party logistics provider, Gulf Agency Company Oman offers a wide range of logistics service solutions. Outsourcing parts or the entire logistics department to third party logistic companies has seen a rapid development and caused an increased demand of the company’s services. The company is struggling to keep up with the increased demand and has realised a need to improve their customs clearance process. The purpose of this study has been to investigate the customs clearance process in Oman from a third party logistics company’s point of view. In order to find out how it could be improved it was necessary to describe what characterises the process and what factors are influencing the performance of it. It is found that the customs clearance process consists of a complex flow of information where documents and payments are exchanged between the involved parties. Handling, processing, and delivering information requires efficient and standardised procedures in order to get the import clearance granted by the local customs authority in time. It is also necessary to be flexible as there are variations to the process depending on the goods, type of shipment, and shipping line. The process mapping constitutes of a general process description that is complemented with a Swimlane-model that visualises the process flow. Based on the mapping, factors influencing the customs clearance have been identified. These factors consist of a combination between external forces, manually handling information, and a lack of standardised procedures. A number of recommendations have been identified and presented to the studied company. The suggestions regard how existing resources and knowledge can be used in a better, more efficient way. It is also suggested that the organisation starts gathering quantitative data regarding the performance of the process. The purpose of collecting data is to enable decisions to be based on facts and to have a reference when working towards an improved process.

Previous studies have indicated a possibility to implement Lean thinking and tools within service- oriented organisations. The term Lean originates from Toyotas production system. Lately it has been applied to several different organisations within the service sector. The basic idea is to use fewer ...