This commoditisation of transport, where shippers
exploit their purchasing power, results in carriers offering flexibility as a competitive
advantage. But such an approach yields a reactive strategy in which a portfolio of
activities and service opportunities are made available without due regard of
infrastructure, capability and competency. This “one size fits all” strategy leads to
increased costs and, more detrimentally, confused and disappointed customers, leading
to a loss in business (Bask, 2001)