Global instability (60%), tariff changes (42%) and customer pricing pressure (61%) are among the most significant challenges freight forwarders and customs brokers expect to face over the next five years, according to the Global Forwarder/Broker Benchmark Study, presented by Descartes Systems Group.
However, 67% of respondents viewed technology as fundamental or highly important to growth, and 55% cited implementing new technologies as the top strategy to grow over competitors.
“Over the nine editions of the study, the role of technology has changed significantly for freight forwarders and customs brokers—from streamlining back-office operations, to enabling digital customer engagement, to harnessing intelligent automation,” says Scott Sangster, general manager, logistics services providers at Descartes. “This shift is mirrored in the industry’s IT investment priorities, which have evolved in step with technological maturity: from technology for efficiency in 2019–2020, digitization in 2021–2022 and now intelligence and automation through 2025. While forwarders and brokers are facing unprecedented global trade volatility today, many organizations remain optimistic about technology’s potential to help redefine their future.”
Key takeaways:
· Respondents viewed the ability to leverage automation and artificial intelligence (AI) as vital to achieving long-term efficiency, compliance agility and profitability. AI (65%) was cited as the technology expected to deliver the greatest value to organizations over the next two years. While many traditional technologies experienced a decline in perceived value, both rate management (20%) and regulatory compliance systems (30%) showed gains in 2025.
- 25% cited manual workflows as the top inhibitor to growth, with smaller companies especially constrained by limited access to capital (27%).
- 55% of respondents plan to prioritize AI investment over the next two years.
- Tailored services (33%) overtook high service (31%) as the top competitive advantage, signaling a move toward more customized and data-driven customer experiences.
- While 60% of large companies view technology as fundamental to growth, only 27% of small companies share that view.
