3PL’s IT Capabilities: The Bar Keeps
Rising
Shippers’ propensity to view 3PLs tactically
rather than strategically is reflected in their
views of 3PLs’ IT capabilities. As seen in
Figure 4, the IT capabilities shippers feel 3PLs
must possess relate more so to executionoriented activities and processes such as
transportation, warehouse/DC management,
electronic data interchange, visibility, etc.,
while they assign lower importance to
capabilities that support more strategic and
analytical services.
For 12 years this study has tracked a measurable
difference between shipper’s opinions on
whether they feel information technologies
are a necessary element of 3PL expertise, and
whether they are satisfied with their 3PLs’ IT
capabilities. We have referred to this as the “IT
Gap.” Figure 5 reveals that over the long term,
this gap has narrowed significantly. However,
over the last three to four years the gap appears
to have largely stabilized. This year 55% of
shippers indicate they are satisfied with IT
services provided by 3PLs, while 69% of the
3PLs feel their customers are satisfied with their
IT capabilities.