Forwarder survey finds IT adoption key to preserving yield

Rate management software provider Freightos surveyed more than 90 forwarders on their perspectives on customer service and technology adoption.    Nearly two thirds of freight forwarders surveyed in recent weeks by the freight rate management software provider Freightos see online pricing platforms as an opportunity, according to a report released by the company Wednesday.
   The report, The Future of Freight, was compiled based on a survey of 92 forwarder executives on a range of customer service and technology adoption questions facing the industry. Only 14 percent saw online pricing platforms as a threat.
   In terms of tools to help prevent yield dilution, forwarders overwhelmingly suggested that leveraging technology was the most important (86 percent), with new service offerings (63 percent) and organic growth (50 percent) the next most common choices.
   More than a third of respondents said they expect contract lengths to get shorter, while less than 20 percent said they would get longer (the remainder said they would stay the same). Similar numbers expect to see demand for more spot quotes (37 percent) while 18 percent said they expect to see fewer spot quotes.