Tive: Lack of Supply Chain Visibility is Holding Firms Back

Supply chain visibility is essential for businesses to operate efficiently and respond to challenges effectively. By providing real-time insights into the movement of goods and materials, it helps companies reduce delays, control costs and meet customer expectations.

What's more, improved visibility strengthens collaboration with suppliers and enhances decision-making, making it easier to manage risks and adapt to disruptions.

The latest research from Tive, a leader in supply chain visibility technology, has revealed major gaps in shipment tracking that continue to put businesses at financial and operational risk. Despite widespread adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT), electronic logging devices (ELDs) and AI in logistics, companies are still struggling to detect and address disruptions before they escalate.

One of the more concerning findings unearthed in its fourth annual State of Visibility report is that three in five (60%) businesses only discover shipment damage after delivery or not at all. Without real-time monitoring, businesses face rejected shipments, wasted inventory and potential damage to customer relationships—issues that could be prevented with better tracking solutions.

Tracking blind spots remain

While supply chain technology has improved, visibility challenges persist—particularly in the mid-mile stage of transportation.

Tive's report highlights that first-mile and last-mile tracking have seen progress, but the mid-mile remains a critical blind spot.

The mid-mile stage often involves multiple handoffs and long transit times, making shipments vulnerable to delays, damage and theft. Despite improvements in tracking solutions, 37% of companies still struggle to monitor shipments in transit, leaving them exposed to unexpected disruptions.

Cargo security is another major concern, with theft driving demand for greater visibility. The report finds that 60% of businesses cite theft prevention as a key reason for investing in tracking technology. However, many companies still lack the proactive monitoring needed to prevent losses before they occur.

Krenar Komoni, Founder and CEO at Tive, comments: "The supply chain industry has made huge strides in visibility technology, but this year’s report shows a harsh reality—that most companies are still flying blind at the worst possible moments. Our report found that the majority of businesses only learn about shipment damage after delivery, when it’s too late to do anything about it.

"Knowing where a shipment is doesn’t mean much if you don’t know what’s happening to it. Supply chains don’t need more data; they need ground truth data at the right time—the ability to act on it before shipments are lost, delayed or rejected.”

AI and IoT adoption increasing, but gaps persist

Tive's report highlights that businesses are turning to AI and IoT to enhance tracking and supply chain decision-making.

AI adoption in supply chain operations has risen from 35% to 45%, helping companies optimise inventory, forecast demand and mitigate risks. Meanwhile, IoT-powered tracking is now used by 60% of companies, up from 55% in 2024.

However, despite this growth, many businesses still lack the real-time updates needed to respond to shipment risks. Simply having tracking data is not enough—companies need the right data at the right time to make informed decisions that prevent costly disruptions.

Sustainability is also becoming a greater focus for supply chain operations, with more than a third (35%) of companies now using visibility data to track carbon emissions and optimise routes for better fuel efficiency. The shift reflects a growing recognition that supply chain visibility is not just about tracking shipments but also about improving overall efficiency and reducing environmental impact.

Visibility becomes a necessity

The findings from Tive’s report make one thing especially clear: real-time visibility is no longer a competitive advantage, but a fundamental requirement for supply chain success.

As businesses continue to invest in tracking technologies, the focus must shift from simply collecting data to ensuring it can be acted upon in real time.

By closing the gap between data collection and actionable insights, businesses can reduce costs, improve efficiency and protect shipments from damage and theft. Without this shift, many companies will continue to face preventable losses and operational challenges.

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