GOOD QUESTION | What logistics concerns keep you up at night?

To meet the needs of last-mile delivery, large e-commerce players are searching for prime real estate near population centers. With fewer good sites and skyrocketing warehouse/DC costs, 3PL storage margins are shrinking, and clients are unaware of pending rate increases.

Richard Murphy, Jr., FASLA
President & CEO
Murphy Warehouse Company

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Retail is all about coordinating the delivery of many products from many countries to arrive at stores as one assortment. A jacket that is missing the matching pants can be a sales disaster. So many small details can go wrong.

Sue Welch
Chief Executive Officer
Bamboo Rose

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What port issue will I wake up to in the morning that's going to affect business? India's three-week delays at Visak? Indonesia congestion? Yangon delays? LA/LGB? Does it end? I'm going to use technology to have better visibility, re-route as necessary, understand my landed cost, and react faster.

Renee DiResta
Co-founder & CMO
Haven

As a freight forwarder, assuming the responsibility of transporting high-value items that are not physically in my possession can be worrisome, especially with the very real carrier shortage in our industry. Selecting the right carriers is the best way to ensure a good night's sleep.

Angela Eliacostas
President/Founder
AGT Global Logistics

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The risk exposure and uncertainty surrounding the proliferation of government regulations in the transportation industry. No one is sure of the scope of the economic impact from, say, the ELD mandate and the Food Safety Modernization Act.

Marty Graham
Vice President, Logistics Services
ArrowStream

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Global political and economic uncertainties are growing concerns. Brexit and the recent U.S. election could usher in a period of protectionism that will redefine supply chains. Monitoring markets will be important, along with supply chain partners' collaboration.

John Haber
Founder & CEO
Spend Management Experts

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Being kept up at night keeps supply chain leaders on their game! The demands of reduced supply chain cost and greater visibility have never been higher, and while many logistics providers execute well, the great ones develop strategic initiatives and build a culture that drives value.

Mark McEntire
Senior Vice President, Operations
Transplace

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Complexity or problems with no clear answer: the exploding number of SKUs; omni-channel demands that force quick reactions from companies without the right tools to contain supply chain costs; how global risks can impact a business anywhere.

Chuck Fuerst
Vice President of Marketing
3Gtms

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Automation has made global businesses nimble and efficient. The ocean logistics industry in India is just about getting its first smart solutions platform integrating the shipping ecosystem. We need to fast-track the shift and save the Indian industry millions of man-hours and costs for every container shipped.

Athahar Mohammed
Co-founder
Shipwaves

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How quickly can you analyze the terms/risks within your logistics contracts when unexpected disruptions occur? Most companies do this manually, bringing delay and financial loss. Contract discovery and analytics technology delivers dynamic contract insight, enabling intelligent decisions and optimal outcomes.

Lloyd Alexander
Vice President, Contract Strategy
Seal Software

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For December, the concern is mostly around forecasts vs. actual volume. Being in the logistics industry, you expect a certain uptick in number of orders, and you can possibly forecast it from the previous years. But actual volumes always vary and it becomes hard to predict, thus making planning difficult for the holiday season. These volumes are definitely affected by external factors, such as weather, that we need to consider, which does make this something to lose sleep over.

Divey Gulati
Co-Founder
Shipbob

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What keeps me up at night is worrying whether supply chain teams around the world are being given enough resources (both human and financial) to gain visibility on WHO is actually working within their supply chain. I worry that companies are going to be "caught out" using child labor, unsafe, or unsustainable workplace practices because they don't have transparency across and down their global supply chain.

Tania Seary
Founding Chairman
Procurious

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As carrier costs increase, our customers will continue to face challenges within their organizations to save money. The goal of accomplishing savings (or even maintaining costs) can cause disruption in even the smoothest supply chains without the right tools. Did you know that only 35 percent of shippers use a transportation management system (TMS)? Without that crucial piece of technology, shippers miss out on shipment transparency, easy carrier cost/service comparisons, and the optimization necessary to achieve savings in a carrier market. Ensuring all of our customers have a sustainable savings program regardless of the market is definitely something that keeps me concerned.

Tracy Meetre
Vice President—Sales & Marketing
Sunset Transportation

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I would say high on that list would be customer satisfaction. Are we meeting their needs—exceeding expectations—better than the competition? Will we continue to be their first choice? Do they value our products and services?

Kerwin Everson
VP, Supply Chain Solutions
RMG

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If supplier performance is not carefully monitored, measured, and managed, companies can suffer increased recalls and returns, incurring significant—though often hidden—transportation and logistics costs.

Steve Rice
Director of Product Management
TAKE Supply Chain

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I often wonder if companies remain consistent in wowing their customers with exceptional service. As a 3PL partner, it is critical that our distribution and aftersales processes are as efficient as possible. We are committed to keeping our clients and their customers happy, but we must also be smart about the logistics behind that satisfaction to ensure we do not waste any crucial resources in any aspect.

Shari Franzetta
Transportation Management System Manager
ModusLink