On the changing world where technology has reshaped everyone’s life, all the businesses have to stay on their toes to embrace the digital wave and make the difference in the marketplace. The transportation industry, in particular, seems to be in the difficult spot. Confronted with digital transformation, changing business models (Brick and mortar, online and bricks & clicks), raising customer expectations, severe competitive landscape, logistics providers have their work cut out if they want to stay ahead of the curve.

As per the industry reports, transportation and logistics industry has been one of the laggards to the cognitive era in adapting to the pressures of the fast-paced world of technological innovations, where everything should be performed at the click of a button, better and cheaper.

Managing Customer expectations: The topmost challenge continues to remain ‘cutting logistical cost’ while investing in innovative technology solutions to catch up with the rest of the world. There is an increasing customer demand for personalized orders at a specified place and time. Also, they demand the higher flexibility of choice (changes in place and time at any point) at low or practically no delivery cost. Coupled with these challenges there is no brand loyalty in logistics. Consumers are not interested in who is delivering their parcel as long as it is delivered quickly and undamaged and traceable at all time. While COD orders can expand customer reach, it adds to risk and added the cost of handling cash for last mile agent.

Next generation of logistics will be leaner, smarter, faster and self-orchestrated. The unprecedented pace of change will be driven by a few radical technologies highlighted below that will be adopted in the coming decade in a big way