GOODQUESTION Readers Weigh In
What’s One Thing You Should Do Now to Ensure Your Company Is Still in Business in 5 Years? Customer Service Tops the List
GET YOUR DATA READY FOR AI AGENTS. Today, they help command centers monitor cargo and react to issues. Soon, agents will oversee every shipment. Companies preparing their data now can gain a huge advantage, and those that don’t may not be around in five years. -David Stanton Co-founder and CEO, Reelables VET YOUR CARRIERS like your business depends on it, because it does. Don’t just rely on automated programs to do it. Freight fraud and scams are rising fast, and you’ll need real people using advanced technology to stop it. -Mike Trudeau Executive Vice President, Business Development, Montway Auto Transport REIMAGINE THE ROLE OF THE SALES REP. Customers expect speed, transparency, visibility, and outcomes; competition is no longer solely driven by price and capacity. Sales reps who remain reactionary instead of proving value to customers and proactively seeking new opportunities will struggle to compete. -Zack Houghton Director and Lead, Transportation & Logistics, Alexander Group GO HYBRID: local plus global fulfillment, with ROI-driven inventory placement. Fulfillment isn’t just operational; it shapes how customers experience your brand. Relying on one shipping lane is now a survival risk. -William Yu Founder and CEO, NextSmartShip
Take care of your customers. While there is absolutely a need for every business to innovate, to deploy artificial intelligence internally to drive efficient operations, and to remain vigilant on macro trends affecting their niche, in five years, being slow on any of these factors can be overcome by providing empathetic care and high-touch customer service. -Markus Scott CEO, EyeQ Monitoring Drive purpose-driven innovation that delivers measurable customer value. Companies that use artificial intelligence to shorten implementation, accelerate time-to-value, and continuously adapt to customer needs will lead. Those that don’t, risk becoming irrelevant. -Kristian “KO” O’Meara Chief Commercial Officer, PairSoft
Manual processes and disconnected systems are quickly becoming extinction-level liabilities. -Bryn Heimbeck President and Co-Founder, Trade Tech DE-RISK YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN by eliminating single points of failure across suppliers and vendor partners. Companies that diversify their sourcing and carrier strategies will be far better positioned to absorb disruption rather than react after the damage is done. -Paul Brinkman President, Trans-Solutions Consulting
I HAVE TO LIST TWO: Clarify your purpose and invest in your talent. A world-class team working for a common purpose is uncommon and essential to compete. -Scott Ashbaugh CEO, DHL eCommerce Americas
DIGITIZE OR DIE. Every technology shift rewards early
adopters and destroys those clinging to the past. In 2026, businesses need automated, end-to-end operations running on a single integrated platform, connecting everything from booking and routing to payments, accounting, and decision making.
6 Inbound Logistics • August 2026
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