FedEx: How Supply Chain Leaders are Utilising Intelligence

As supply chain leaders face ongoing pressure to remain resilient amid uncertainty, FedEx has released its first-ever Future of Logistics Intelligence Report. 

The report explores how supply chain leaders are gaining and leveraging a competitive advantage. 

FedEx finds that there is a significant gap between seeing an issue and being able to act on it, demonstrating a capabilities gap that needs to be managed.

The future of logistics

FedEx is a multinational transportation company, connecting people through its portfolio of shipping, transportation, e-commerce and digital supply chain solutions. The company offers integrated business solutions, making use of its efficient and flexible global network. 

In October 2025, FedEx surveyed 700 full-time professionals across operations, logistics, supply chain, e-commerce, IT and customer service roles in order to gain insights into the current state of logistics. Respondents were across industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, automotive, aerospace and technology and were all companies that ship physical goods overseas.

The Future of Logistics Intelligence Report was formed to understand how organisations are responding to the ongoing disruption global supply chains are facing. As geopolitical tensions, shifting trade policies, advancements in AI and rising customer demands converge, supply chains are having to rethink their operations in order to stay ahead.

The findings show that organisations are facing more demand than ever, with the need to deliver faster, with more transparency and resilience than previous years. With this demand comes a need for logistics intelligence and being able to integrate data and unlock predictive insights to support smart decision-making. 

“Many organisations can see what’s happening in their supply chains, but leaders in the space can predict and act fast enough when it matters most,” says Jason Brenner, Senior Vice President, Digital Portfolio at FedEx.

“Closing the gap with logistics intelligence, supported by analytics, AI and close partnerships with your carrier, will help organisations move from reacting to disruptions to anticipating them, minimising impact and delivering a leading customer experience.”

All supply chain, sustainability, Scope 3 and net zero leaders should attend:

• Procurement and Supply Chain LIVE: The Net Zero Summit - QEII Centre, London, March 4-5
• Procurement and Supply Chain LIVE: The US Summit - Navy Pier, Chicago, April 21-22

Co-located with Sustainability LIVE, these events brings together CSCOs, CSOs and senior decision-makers at a moment when sustainability, supply chains and commercial performance are increasingly interconnected.
Tickets can be booked online today for The Net Zero Summit and The US Summit. Group discounts available.

Visibility gaps

Though most leaders express confidence across their operations, the survey data reveals a significant gap between perception and reality. 

Though 97% of respondents say they can track every shipment end-to-end and 94% say they have unified visibility across all shipment modes, only 22% of decision-makers say they have access to all the types of logistics and supply chain data that they desire. This shows that, despite initial confidence, there are gaps in visibility, preventing the unification of data. This shows there is a demand for strengthening data visibility foundations.

There is a major fragmentation of data within logistics, with 66% of organisations using three or more systems to manage shipments. This limits visibility an and slows the adoption of AI-powered logistics tools that require unified data streams.

As a result of disconnected systems, other issues arise within data systems. This includes difficulty integrating systems (35%), limited ability to customise to operational needs (33%), the reliance on inefficient manual processes (31%), a lack of real-time data (29%) and too many disconnected systems (26%). 

Increasing customer demand

The increase in customer demand for visibility is changing the game for logistics and supply chain performance, with reliable delivery windows (36%) and end-to-end shipment tracking (34%) being the main priorities for consumers, according to decision-makers. Being able to meet these demands means the companies need a unification of data from shipment scans, location tracking, order systems and the ability to transform this data into actional AI-driven insights.

Customers notice when businesses cannot meet demands, with limited visibility (26%) and delayed deliveries (23%) being at the top of shipping-related complaints. When delays occur, organisations face higher costs, increased strain and higher customer complaints. As a result, the visibility does not just help the customer, but it helps the teams too.

Different industries have different customer complaints when it comes to shipping - the main complaint for automotive products is damaged goods, whereas the concern for healthcare is limited delivery visibility. Organisations need to be able to adapt to the demands of their customers in order to maintain satisfaction and avoid risk.

93% of leaders state their returns process builds customer trust and loyalty. As a result, small issues in the process can create a larger impact. When returns break down, 53% of organisations see higher operational costs and 48% notice a hit to customer loyalty and satisfaction. 

Looking ahead

Though most organisations state feeling prepared for supply chain issues, they are tentative about this, with more reporting 'somewhat prepared' than 'very prepared' across most categories. This demonstrates that though they have a general idea of how to tackle disruption, they lack the resources to fully navigate it.

Respondents appear most prepared to comply with sustainability-related laws (87% at least somewhat prepared) and to undergo modernisation (88%). Meanwhile trade policies and tariffs are still a major concern for industry decision-makers. 

In response to increasing trade policies, organisations have been taking measures to mitigate disruption and risk. This includes rerouting shipments (45%), absorbing raised costs internally (43%), increasing compliance and documentation (43%) and passing costs onto customers (41%). 

Organisations know what they need to do in order to fill the gaps and build resilience, but the difficulty comes with constantly-changing dynamics. In order to do this, there is a need to embed AI-driven insight into the supply chain, in order to respond faster and deliver results.