Management-driven change is vital

Technology is not the biggest hurdle in logistics – culture is. According to Wichard Sullwald, co-founder of product at CtrlFleet, change management remains the toughest challenge when introducing new tech. “There really is no silver bullet. Without strong, management-driven change, even the most advanced digital solutions will fail,” he told Freight News. “Just as important, the right technology must be applied for the right purpose. It is critical to be clear about the specific problems you want to solve, rather than treating digitisation as a catch- all solution.” According to Sullwald, it is culture, rather than specific skills, that allows users to confidently adopt new technologies and solutions. Working hard and cultivating a willingness to get your fingers dirty on a new system or application should be top of mind for executive teams across the industry. He says clear opportunities are emerging from technology in logistics. “Integrated systems connecting freight providers and clients – from on-demand service requests to financial transactions – are creating tangible efficiency gains. Looking further ahead, driver augmentation and self- driving technology could transform the efficiency of the entire supply chain.” At CtrlFleet, much effort goes into continuously refining the core product based on customer feedback and operational insights, along with a future-looking roadmap curated internally. “Innovation is not negotiable and highlights the sector’s shift towards fully integrated, transparent and digitally controlled supply chains.” The company has also strengthened its ability to manage complex physical operations. “We’ve made major strides in accommodating cross- docking, load consolidation and dynamic routing based on real-time operations,” said Sullwald. While CtrlFleet and other local operators are pushing the boundaries of technology, Sullwald says that South Africa’s logistics sector still has room to grow. “Although not at the level of maturity of some regional sectors, especially in the European market, the local sector in SA is certainly not lagging behind in any significant way. The spirit of innovation and creative adaptation to our environment remains high within our local industries, and the road- freight sector is no exception.” He added that customers were increasingly demanding high levels of transparency, allowing teams to react faster and maintain efficiency across operations. LV