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Interview integrate with existing operational systems, protect previous technology investments, and remove manual, repetitive processes rather than introducing new layers of complexity.
Phased implementations are often the most effective approach, starting with areas such as finance, spend, or workforce management where returns are clear, and then expanding capability over time without disrupting day-to-day operations.
What role does leadership play in ensuring digital initiatives translate into operational impact? Leadership plays a critical role in linking digital initiatives to clear operational outcomes, including cost control, service reliability, workforce wellbeing, and compliance. When transformation is treated as an IT project rather than a business change, momentum is quickly lost.
Our research shows a persistent disconnect between senior leaders and managers on the ground around whether digital systems are actually delivering operational value, reinforcing the importance of clear ownership and alignment from the top.
Strong governance frameworks help close that gap by reinforcing accountability, prioritization, and alignment from board level through to frontline supervisors, ensuring digital initiatives translate into consistent, measurable operational improvements.
Are there common mistakes you see companies making when they try to accelerate digital change in the supply chain? Several recurring mistakes tend to slow progress. Organizations often over-customize systems instead of taking the time to standardize and simplify operational processes, making change harder to scale. Others attempt to introduce too many new systems or initiatives at once, overwhelming teams and diluting focus.
At the same time, training and change management are often deprioritized, even though our research shows skills gaps remain one of the biggest operational challenges across the sector.
Organizations that make faster, more sustainable progress typically standardize first, integrate core platforms such as finance, workforce, and governance, and then apply embedded AI where it can deliver clear, practical value.
Looking ahead, what capabilities will logistics and wholesale operators need most to stay competitive over the next three to five years? Bringing operational, financial, and workforce data together will be critical to improving productivity, cost control, and service performance.
Data-driven workforce planning will also become more important as skills gaps persist across the sector. While AI adoption is accelerating, our research highlights a continuing imbalance between investment in technology and investment in workforce readiness, making it essential for organizations to improve how they plan, deploy, and support their people.
Strong governance and compliance automation, combined with AI-enabled forecasting and decision support, will help organizations manage growing operational complexity and risk. Underpinning all of this will be scalable, cloud-based platforms that can adapt as business models, regulations, and market conditions evolve. ■
www. oneadvanced. com
Anwen Robinson is SVP at OneAdvanced. OneAdvanced equips wholesale and logistics companies to optimize their operations with nextgeneration, composable ERP systems designed for scalability and seamless supply chain management.
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