In the last five years, the Customs Department Competitiveness Index (the CDCI) at Quang Ninh Customs Department has shown the department’s efforts and efficiency in supporting and accompanying businesses. This is the basis for the Department and District Competitiveness Index (DDCI) of Quang Ninh province.

Hon Gai Border Gate Customs Branch assigns management
to officers under business group. Photo: Q.H

8 indices for businesses to evaluate

In 2021, the CDCI at Quang Ninh has implemented many innovative and creative points in both content and form. Many effective performances in supporting and accompanying businesses aim to boost import and export operations across the province.

To help businesses conduct surveys amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Quang Ninh Customs encourages businesses to conduct online surveys or via email. The online survey platform is available on computers, phones and tablets. The department also designed a communication poster to instruct the survey of CDCI 2021 in an easy and specific manner.

Notably, enterprises only evaluate and score one to two branches where the enterprise has studied and implemented procedures to ensure objectivity and accuracy in the assessment.

The 2021 CDCI survey is designed with only 70-80 questions, ensuring the questions are focused on key contents. The questionnaire has a medium length, avoiding taking too much time for enterprises.

The CDCI has five component indices in 2020. Quang Ninh Customs Department increased it to eight component indexes in 2021.

These indices include information transparency and access; quality and efficiency of public services; time and costs; fair treatment; leadership dynamics and accountability; business support; effective enforcement of laws and legal institutions; and unofficial fees.

The increase in the index has showed representation and universality in line with the Quang Ninh DDCI, helping the customs branches quickly identify their strengths and weaknesses in management and make action plans to improve the quality of management at the grass roots level.

1,200 enterprises carry out surveys

All customs branches of Quang Ninh Customs have actively provided solutions to enhance competitiveness at the grass roots level, carried out communication plans, assigned tasks to each officer and attached responsibilities of leaders at all levels.

For example, the Hon Gai Seaport Customs Branch has assigned officers to manage business groups. Mong Cai Customs Branch has arranged officers to support and instruct businesses by product line. In addition, the support for businesses has been implemented effectively. The launching of assessment software for public service performance of customs officers has achieved positive results.

In 2021, 1,000 enterprises conducted CDCI surveys, including 540 enterprises in Quang Ninh province and 460 enterprises outside the province. The online survey and survey via email are conducted in parallel to ensure progress.

The consultant also sent survey information to 200 businesses. Thus, about 1,200 enterprises have carried out surveys. The consulting company has directly contacted or supported these businesses to encourage them to conduct surveys.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, almost all businesses have conducted online surveys in an easy and effective manner. The department collected 743 survey questionnaires, of which 728 were valid. The proportion of online survey questionnaires accounted for 96.02% (699 questionnaires), those sent by email accounted for 3.85% (28 questionnaires) and those sent by post accounted for 0.14% (one questionnaire).

This has shown the efficiency of the new survey method, and great efforts of support teams of the department and branches in communication, contact, and encouraging enterprises to complete surveys.