What Shippers Wish Forwarders Knew

Shippers Want Forwarders Who Are Faster and More Transparent

Speed and visibility have a greater influence on the shipper experience than ever. When a shipment moves, they want clear milestones. When something changes (or goes awry), they want a quick update. When they have a question, they want an answer they can rely on.

The desire for better visibility is not new, but the expectation has shifted. Modern shippers compare logistics providers to every other digital experience in their lives. They expect information they can trust with minimal effort.

This is reflected in the data. Real-time tracking was one of the top capabilities shippers requested in the State of Digitization in Freight Forwarding report published by Magaya and Adelante SCM. The message is clear: if a forwarder makes it easy to know where freight is, the relationship becomes stronger.

One supply chain executive explained it, “as the pace of business increases, so does the need for direct, near real time digital connections into our 3PLs. It is no longer acceptable to live in a black box environment. We need transparency to collaborate and improve processes together. Without it, the benefits of using 3PLs diminish.”

Visibility and speed are not optional anymore, they shape trust.

Technology Influences Buying Decisions More Than Ever

Shippers rely on technology in their own businesses. They expect their logistics partners to do the same.

This shows up in one of the most important findings in the report. Ninety percent of shippers said that a forwarder’s technological capabilities are extremely or very important when they evaluate potential partners.

Shippers pay attention to how information flows. They look at how easy it is to get updates, how clean the data is, and how quickly teams respond. They also look at whether the forwarder can scale with them. Even if a relationship starts small, shippers think ahead.

Good technology signals stability and attention to detail. It suggests that the forwarder has the systems needed to support steady growth. Poor technology signals risk.

The Top Capabilities Shippers Expect from Their Logistics Partners

Based on the research, shippers prioritize three specific capabilities.

Real-time shipment tracking

They need to see where freight is and what will happen next. This helps them plan staffing, inventory, and customer communication. It also reduces the constant requests for status updates.

Integration capabilities

Shippers want data that flows cleanly into their own systems. Manual steps increase delays and mistakes. Integrations reduce friction and help both sides avoid miscommunication.

Automated documentation and compliance

Documentation errors create delays. Compliance issues create cost. Automation reduces these risks and gives shippers more confidence in the process.

These three capabilities shape how shippers evaluate forwarders, especially when comparing several options.

What Frustrates Shippers Most

Despite rising expectations, most forwarders have not fully digitized. Only twenty-three percent have digitized more than seventy-five percent of their business processes. Less than forty percent use a freight forwarding management system.

This gap shows up as friction, in the form of daily frustrations.

• Slow quoting.
• Inconsistent shipment updates.
• Limited visibility into exceptions.
• Email chains that drag on too long.
• Spreadsheets that create errors.
• Documentation mistakes that delay freight.
• Portals that are outdated or not available at all.

Shippers want partners who are easy to work with. When basic tasks take too long, the friction makes the relationship harder for everyone.

The Digital Gap Creates a Competitive Opening

Shippers assume forwarders are more digitized than they really are. When they find a partner who offers strong digital capabilities, it stands out immediately.

Forwarders who invest in better systems deliver cleaner data, faster responses, and fewer points of friction. They also protect their own margins by reducing manual work. This creates a competitive advantage that is difficult for slower adopters to match.

The next few years will widen this gap even more. Shippers will not wait for partners to modernize. They will choose the forwarders who support their goals, not hold them back.

What Forwarders Can Do Today to Meet Shipper Expectations

Forwarders do not need to transform every part of their operation at once. Small changes create real impact.

• Improve quoting speed with systems that centralize rates.
• Offer simple tracking tools so shippers can get information without sending an email.
• Reduce documentation errors with consistent workflows.
• Automate repetitive tasks.
• Strengthen integrations to reduce back-and-forth.
• Make visibility easy for internal teams and external customers.

Each improvement builds trust and removes friction. Over time, these steps reshape the shipper’s experience.

Conclusion

Shippers are not asking for perfection. They want clarity, consistency, and a forwarder who helps them run their business without unnecessary stress. They want partners who are responsive, transparent, and equipped with the right technology.

Forwarders who embrace this reality will build stronger relationships and win more business. Those who delay will face increasing pressure as shippers shift to partners who support them more effectively.

The next wave of loyalty and growth will belong to the forwarders who understand what shippers need and invest in tools that make the relationship better for everyone involved.