Assessment of Customs Brokerage Performance in Vietnam: A Study of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

Abstract

This study aims to apply a fact-based methodology called the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate the performance of customs brokers in Vietnam. It involves weighting the importance of factors affecting the quality of customs brokerage service based on market rules and regulatory compliance. The significance of the factors was ranked through the AHP method, based on expert opinions gathered from semi-structured interviews with 10 senior managers with over five years of service among Vietnam’s customs brokers. The results indicate that professional qualification, trade compliance and professionalism marked by high commitment, trustworthiness and adaptability with customers, are the most critical factors influencing the quality of customs brokerage service. Building upon the AHP model, the study formulates the Vietnam Customs Broker Scoring Criteria for the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC).