But that golden age, when all the indicators were going up, is changing. It is not that the industry is in crisis or that it has stopped growing, but that from 2022 (and at least the first half of 2023) the inflationary context has had an impact in such a way that growth is now accompanied by much more complex challenges. . Given this, the obvious question is, how to grow in times of crisis?
To answer, we have to go back to the beginning of the pandemic, where the logistics industry in Mexico was good; however, it was not prepared for the ‘boom’ of electronic commerce. The demand for home deliveries skyrocketed exponentially. How did the companies respond? With infrastructure and technology. That was the winning combo of the pandemic.
The disruption took hold of many areas of the industry (logistics and others) and thus it was possible to respond to the demand spike. The word ‘disruption’ took over the language of businessmen, it was positioned in the media and many specialists spoke of it as the panacea for the pandemic.
But now, in a context of slower growth and truly complex challenges in the supply chain, we cannot think that the sector’s response will be the same. Faced with a different problem, a different solution is required. As simple as that.
faced with a dilemma
But what is that solution? Following abrupt technology adoption, companies are beginning to question the true meaning of disruption. Until recently, it was understood as companies whose technology allowed them to open up new paradigms and solve problems in a creative and innovative way. Now the disruption must go further and incorporate into this definition the role of the workforce, that is, the employees of a company.
In this context, the dilemma prevails whether the priority for new business models should focus on adopting technologies or on seeking qualified and trained professionals to keep up with the growth of the sector.
Beyond technology
Although the use of innovative technologies, such as drones or artificial intelligence, give logistics greater visibility and importance, the work team is the one who designs and executes strategies in a creative and innovative way.
Technology is and will continue to be an important part of disruption, but logistics disruptors must look further and surround themselves, not only with the best technology, but also with the best team.