Leaders in the logistics industry are facing a pioneering challenge: innovations in logistics technology are increasing at a rate surpassing the output of IT talent capable of addressing the specific needs of the industry. Technology trends in the industry include the fast adoption of new consumer technologies and increased customers’ expectations of rapid, accurate delivery and access to real-time data from any device.
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To stay relevant, successful logistics enterprises must identify these new industry standards as an opportunity to gain a strategic advantage over competitors. However, with a growing skills shortage in information technology, logistics companies struggle to staff full-time IT technicians capable of integrating specialized transportation and supply chain technologies.
Accepting Technology Solutions as a Competitive Edge
As technology has evolved, WMS/TMS systems, such as scanning, printing, and wearable technology, have changed dramatically. It is increasingly evident that the benefits of adopting new solutions and technologies include increased transparency, accuracy, efficiency, better customer service, improved workflows, and reduced costs. Additionally, with the influx of technology solutions that help store, manage, and analyze data, the need for data security is growing in the industry.
To set your logistics business apart from competitors, you’ll need to better understand which digital solutions can improve your business and address the growing demands of your customers. “The ability to adapt and innovate will likely be a key differentiator in the decade ahead,” stated Kelly Marchese, the leader of Deloitte’s Supply Chain Strategy practice. This is the consensus among industry leaders; 80% of respondents believe the digital supply chain will be a predominant model within the next five years.
There are a lot of logistics technology solutions available, but investing in the right technology to fulfill the expectations of your customers is a challenge in itself. It can be difficult to know what, how, and when to incorporate (or upgrade to) new logistics technology solutions. Small to medium enterprises are particularly at risk of falling behind because smaller IT departments may not have the time to focus on strategically adopting and integrating IT solutions that bring value to the business, or some companies may not have an IT department at all.
Even with an IT department, hiring and retaining talent in a hyper-competitive market may be an additional challenge. However, allowing your logistics company to gain the cutting edge is crucial in an industry dependent on speed, accuracy, efficiency, and communication. All these expectations and options may sound intimidating when added to your existing workload running your company, so this may be the time for you to trust the experts.
An Emerging Industry of IT Specialists as Strategic Logistics Partners
At ProMat 2019 (a conference showcasing the latest technology innovations in manufacturing, distribution, and supply management), one of the most talked-about issues facing the industry was the lack of adequate IT talent. Additionally, the inability to implement and deploy the newest wave of developing technologies that address customer demands of increased speed and accuracy has been a barrier to business success.
As technology solutions specific to the industry emerge, so do experts in the field of IT who specialize in transportation and logistics tech. Seeking out talent at this stage of the technological renaissance will be key for companies hoping to be at the forefront of the new digital era for IT logistics. However, according to the , “59% of CIOs and other IT executives face a skills shortage.” This can make human capital in the industry incredibly expensive and, in some cases, prohibitive for companies to hire and retain IT talent that not only understand the technology and the industry’s trends but also the industry itself.
Due to the talent shortage and increased technology solutions for logistics enterprises, a new industry was recently born. A mix of logistics technology integrators and managed IT service provider companies focuses on covering these needs. These new types of companies are offering the value of a full IT department (helpdesk, system administrators, programmers, etc.) with approximately a 35-45% OPEX reduction.
What sets these partners apart from expensive and hard-to-find permanent IT staff is that they provide all of the technical support for day-to-day operations an in-house IT department would while simultaneously staying on top of logistics industry trends and researching and implementing logistics technologies aligned with business needs.
These specialized IT providers gain a deep knowledge of strategic needs within the logistics industry and the technologies that can help businesses overcome these challenges. Their level of expertise positions them as strategic partners that help drive their logistics company customers into the future.
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