AUGUST 2025Retail Business Review9The retail industry is under immense pressure to deliver goods quickly and efficiently, while also managing costs and complying with regulationstime and money on pointless technology upgrades. It can be difficult to know which platforms are worth investing in--and even more difficult to implement them successfully. Many platforms require significant up-front investment and it can take years before you see any return on that investment. Plus, who is responsible for implementing the new system? The executives who made the decision to purchase it? The IT department? And what happens if things go wrong? Before signing a contract with one or more of the several emerging SaaS platforms vying for your business, you should consider the following:Is the platform or tool relevant to a specific problem you are currently facing?Are you buying a software or a service?What will the onboarding look like?How much effort will it take to implement?Will this platform or tool give you an advantage that will be a differentiator for you amongst your competitors?What is the rate of change in your industry?How will this impact the team?Once the tool is implemented, are there any additional, ongoing costs?Will your data be private?When considering new technology solutions to support the supply chain, there are many factors to consider. One of the most important is if it was developed with an understanding of the challenges faced in real-world supply chains and how to eliminate or improve your response to those challenges.Expeditors have taken the first-hand experience in supply chain gained from over 40 years of working with diverse industries across many geographies to develop the platforms in our digital solutions group. Whether it is trade compliance management, sensor-based visibility, carrier control, and management, or data modeling and engineering, the solutions offered originate directly from the evolving needs of the customers and industries we serve.Recognizing the importance of building flexibility and resiliency in your supply chain for the next disruption is critical. And having technology built by experts in the discipline will provide greater assurance that the technology delivers what you need. Bryan Ransford
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