The research, which surveyed over 100 North American logistics and supply chain experts, highlights a disconnect between deploying advanced software and realizing financial value. While modern warehouse management systems and AI tools are successfully driving throughput, the ability to convert these technical gains into bottom-line results remains elusive for many providers. Clients now view automation as a baseline requirement rather than a premium service, forcing firms to justify their investments through operational agility and improved customer outcomes.

Driving this shift is a change in investment priorities. Nearly 84% of respondents identified operational efficiency and evolving client demands as their primary motivations for upgrading infrastructure, dwarfing the 6% who cited labor shortages as the main driver. Mike Armanious, CEO of Datex, emphasizes that the true advantage lies in how firms utilize their existing foundation. For many 3PLs, the path forward involves refining processes to meet specific business outcomes rather than merely accumulating new software tools.