Josh Allen, chief commercial officer at ITS Logistics, on Thursday said logistics firms should refocus their investments in 2025 to develop the companies and their workforce.
Allen said he was drawn to ITS Logistics because of its people and culture, which are the foundation of the company. The 3PL works to empower its employees and grow their careers through technological development, which Allen said is a worthwhile investment and moves away from a transactional approach.
“I am absolutely drinking the Kool-Aid all day of ‘we are empowering futures … but really investing in those people that we can see every day,’” he said during his conversation with FreightWaves CEO Craig Fuller at FreightWaves’ F3: Future of Freight Festival.
Speaking on technological advancements, Allen said there is a “lot of focus on displacing the human being and displacing the culture and the talent that we just talked about.” Instead, he urged companies to reframe their tech development to focus on improving efficiency by “building technology that makes people better.”
Allen recommended companies abandon viewing partnerships through a transactional lens and instead fully commit to building a meaningful relationship through investments.
He said when ITS partners with a business, the company invests in the relationship with its workforce and technology. The goal in the long-term investment and partnership is that it will improve details of the company’s supply chain.
“You have to put in the effort in the detail for excellence,” he said. “It cannot be about simply moving a few loads. It cannot be just a transactional approach.”
Companies should question what value they add to the clients they serve, Allen said.
Looking ahead, Fuller asked Allen about the freight recession. Allen said while things were changing in the industry, “we have a lot of work to do.” He said the industry will still face challenges in the coming quarters.
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