As consumer demands grow and logistics operations become more complex, businesses are seeking new ways to create more reliable, transparent operations. Today’s customers expect more than ever—fast, affordable shipping; transparency and visibility at every step; and a clear commitment to sustainability.
Working with partners that offer the latest tech-enabled support can help ensure success, but many businesses are still evaluating carriers based on outdated criteria: cost per package, basic delivery speed and on-time percentages. While these key metrics still matter, they no longer tell the full story.
To stay competitive, logistics professionals must find partners that offer reliable transparency and visibility, the latest tech-enabled tools and solutions, and a smart, sustainable delivery network that keeps operations streamlined.
Transparency Is Now as Important as Speed
Today’s customers have high expectations—not only do they expect speedy shipping, but they also expect real-time tracking capabilities, proactive updates on delivery progress, and predictable timelines. In fact, 76% of consumers want the ability to track their orders, and 20% want a precise delivery window.[1]
Working with carriers that offer tools for proactive package tracking can help meet the needs of demanding customers. The free Informed Delivery® featurearrow_right_alt, for example, allows United States Postal Service customers to receive daily updates on their deliveries, which they can receive via automated email or through the online dashboard. Users can also sign up for customizable notifications via text and/or email to stay up to date on each stage of the delivery process.
Offering this kind of self-service tracking can provide further brand touchpoints while cutting down significantly on customer service requests.
Logistics Tech Is No Longer Optional
Many carriers are investing heavily in modernization and automation, raising the bar for everyone in the field.
The latest mobile scanning technologies, for example, can unlock unparalleled visibility throughout the supply chain. With optical character recognition (OCR), shippers can scan data from written text or an image file, then convert it to a digital format for processing. By eliminating manual typing and writing, companies can significantly reduce human error while streamlining their logistics processes for faster speeds and better efficiencies.
Dynamic routing software is transforming the world of logistics, offering continual optimization of delivery paths based on real-time data, events and conditions. By collecting data from a range of sources—including GPS systems, order platforms, weather reports, and more—this software can conduct advanced data analysis to identify patterns and optimize routes in real time.
As advances in scanning and routing bring about new capabilities and increased transparency, customer interfaces are also changing, with customizable, mobile-first solutions that allow customers to choose tailored notification settings, set desired communication methods and easily access centralized order information. These user-friendly enhancements can help encourage interaction and engender loyalty.
For companies seeking to streamline their operations, it’s critical to work with carriers that offer tech-enabled integration and automation tools that reduce errors, speed up processes and provide customers with continual updates. These tools could be as simple as fulfillment software and conveyor belts or as complex as warehouse robotics.
Establishing smart strategies, such as just-in-time (JIT) inventory management—in which goods are received from suppliers only as needed—can enhance efficiency and productivity. This approach ultimately enables brands to fulfill more orders at faster rates.
Sustainable Networks Improve Efficiencies
Modern shipping networks are increasingly optimizing for both speed and sustainability. Using real-time data collection and analysis, companies can achieve more efficient routing, reducing distances traveled and cutting down on emissions and fuel consumption. With better-optimized, streamlined routes, deliveries can reach their destinations faster, helping to keep discerning customers happy.
Establishing consolidation centers—in which goods from multiple vendors are stored for shipping via combined truckloads—can cut costs and speed up deliveries. Not only does this reduce congestion but also results in fewer emissions and more resilient supply chains. Load balancing—involving the strategic placement of goods on delivery vehicles to reduce the risk of imbalances that lead to accidents or delays—can also reduce the number of trips needed.
Cleaner, more efficient shipping and logistics operations can seriously benefit the bottom line. More than one-third of consumers are willing to pay an additional one or two dollars for more sustainable shipping.[2] With 37% of consumers saying they believe convenience and environmental impact are equally important for deliveries and 56% “quite” or “very” interested in carbon-neutral deliveries,[3] ongoing sustainability efforts can be a major differentiator for today’s conscientious consumers.
What to Look for in a Shipping Partner
Cost is just the starting point. Today’s most effective shipping partners will offer a combination of capability, commitment and shared values that support long-term growth. As you embark on your search for dependable shipping partners, keep these key questions in mind:
- Do they offer reliable visibility tools for both you and your customers?
- Is their network optimized for both speed and scalability?
- Are they investing in innovation and long-term infrastructure?
- Do they support your sustainability goals?
- Can they grow with you—and help you grow?
As expectations for speed, visibility and sustainability rise, shipping providers around the world are evolving in parallel. Postal organizations like Royal Mail and Canada Post are investing in automation, digital tracking and greener fleets.
USPS is also taking part in the global transformation—modernizing its network with an electrified fleet and optimized shipping routes, offering customers easy-to-use visibility tools like the Informed Delivery feature, and continually developing new services designed to support smarter shipping across the United States.
Key Takeaway
As consumer expectations continue to evolve, the meaning of reliable shipping has shifted dramatically. Today, on-time deliveries are the bare minimum, and brands must think a step ahead to stay competitive and nimble.
Finding a trustworthy, tech-savvy shipping partner that offers sophisticated visibility tools, the latest logistics tech, smarter networks and sustainable delivery options can help ensure success. And because this partner will often be the last brand touchpoint your customer experiences, they must reflect the standards, service and values you’ve worked hard to build.
To learn more about the latest shipping and logistics solutions, explore expert insights through our vast trove of articles, infographics, tutorials and more on USPS Delivers.
Footnotes
keyboard_arrow_down- [1]“Online Buying Grows, But Too Many Consumers Still Experiencing Delivery Woes: Descartes’ Third Annual Ecommerce and Home Delivery Consumer Sentiment Study,” Descartes, 2024. arrow_right_alt
- [2]Excerpted from “What do US consumers want from e-commerce deliveries?”, February 2025, McKinsey & Company, www.mckinsey.comarrow_right_alt. Copyright (c) 2025 McKinsey & Company. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission. arrow_right_alt
- [3]“Home Delivery Sustainability: The Environmentally Conscious Consumer Under Pressure: Descartes’ 3rd Annual Home Delivery Sustainability Study,” Descartes, 2024. arrow_right_alt
