75% of businesses view investment in ground transportation as key

According to research by DHL, 75% of companies believe investment in ground transportation will directly support company growth, due to the rapid expansion of e-commerce and the way shippers choose their transportation solutions.

In a global survey conducted by Lieberman Research Worldwide, on behalf of DHL, 83% of “transport buyers and operations professionals” across a range of sectors and industries said they were willing to pay more for value-added services—or greater customisability—if they led to a good return on investment.

The report found that 71% of these businesses now viewed ground transportation as a key strategic component of their business, with a direct correlation between ground transportation and business performance.

65% of these companies recognised that the rapid growth of e-commerce, and the need for e-commerce solutions, will have a significant impact on their supply chain over the next couple of years.

Credit: Deutsche Post DHL

“Transport is undoubtedly a critical aspect of the global business environment, and these findings indicate that companies across sectors and markets are now recognizing its strategic value,” said Javier Bilbao, DHL’s Global Transport Lead and CEO of DHL Supply Chain in Latin America.

“We undertook this study to gain an insight into exactly what companies expect from their transportation service providers, both today and tomorrow. Our research has shown us that customers are increasingly looking for complete solutions with a global each as they have the capability to solve a wide range of transportation issues and requirements.”

Bilbao also cited the importance of big data for “[managing] the order profile and shipping patterns of customers’ increasingly complex and demanding operating models”.

The report found that the particular need for ground transportation varied from region to region. For example, in Latin America, the ability to provide on-time delivery was the priority, while in Europe, where the market is more developed, businesses were looking to optimise existing networks. Urbanisation was also a factor.

Source: Deutsche Post DHL