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As customers demand faster delivery, relying on manual processes and legacy systems is no longer a sustainable strategy for third-party logistics (3PL) providers. According to VML, the overall expected delivery time for online orders has steadily decreased from 2.36 days in 2022 to 2.16 days in 2023, and further to 1.85 days in 2024.

Every shipper wants to make smarter decisions, reduce risks, and improve their bottom line. But how can you be sure a major change to your shipping operations will pay off without risking a costly mistake?

The world of supply chain technology is at a critical moment. For the past five years, the industry has been focused on moving to the cloud and leveraging machine learning to optimize everything from warehouse operations to rate shopping. But the next wave of innovation isn't just a continuation of this trend — it's a fundamental shift toward AI-native workflows and autonomous agents that will redefine how outbound shipping works.

Machine learning models are powerful tools, but their true value lies in their accuracy. Without reliable predictions, even the most sophisticated models can fall short of expectations. This is especially true in dynamic fields like logistics, where precise forecasting based on real-world factors can unlock significant operational efficiencies and cost savings.

Last year I held a session at the 2024 Parcel Forum conference. (Watch here.) It was a deep dive into what was real versus hype in August 2024.

Today’s customers have come to expect transparency and speed, which means that delivery dates based on static criteria (ex. Carrier SLAs) often fall short.

Ever feel like you're playing a guessing game with your shipping costs? This all-too-common problem among shippers is driven by a wide range of factors — one of which is the reliance on carrier rating APIs during the rate shopping process, which can cause inaccurate selection and discrepancies between expected and invoiced rates.

Rate shopping is one of the core processes of outbound fulfillment. However, traditional methods for rating leave both cost savings and performance improvement opportunities on the table.

Choosing the right shipping mode can significantly impact your bottom line and delivery efficiency. If you’re dealing with varying shipment sizes, deciding between Less Than Truckload (LTL) and small parcel shipping is critical.

The OTM User Conference (OTM SIG) brings together passionate transportation technology professionals to share stories and consider what the next year of evolution looks like. A few points stood out to me as I attended and presented as a sponsor for the first time this year.