What happens to a logistics operation when a crisis or disruption hits? One day everything could be running smoothly: routes are getting completed, goods are getting delivered and service levels are on track.
But what happens when something goes wrong? What happens when fuel prices increase? Suppose a vehicle breaks down, a driver leaves unexpectedly, or a large delivery is stopped by a bridge closure. Can the business survive these kinds of setbacks?
Many businesses would love to say ‘Yes’ to this question. But the reality is, many businesses can’t right now. With the current geopolitical landscape remaining uncertain, fuel costs fluctuating, basic road infrastructure declining at an unprecedented rate and the constant threat of driver shortages, there are a number of unexpected issues that could compromise a logistics business’s bottom line at the drop of a hat in 2026.
Andrew Tavener (pictured, below), Head of Marketing at Descartes, believes that ‘OK’ delivery performance is no longer good enough in 2026 and advises how businesses can future proof their organizations moving forward.
Tight Margins Leave Little Room for Hidden Inefficiency
With fleets operating on tighter margins, typically around 2–3%, according to industry data from the Road Haulage Association, there’s little room for error for logistics operations in the current climate. While a one-off disruption to a business’s last-mile delivery probably won’t cause immediate failure, it may gradually erode profitability. So, operators need to ensure they are staying ahead of the curve and ensuring their hidden inefficiencies don’t compound quickly, impacting both profitability and service.
Service Failures Put Customer Loyalty at Risk
Customers won’t tolerate a drop off in service when a business is disrupted by a vehicle breakdown or shortage of drivers. In fact, Descartes’ Ecommerce and Home Delivery Consumer Sentiment Study found that 66% of consumers experienced delivery issues, rising to 79% among under-35s, highlighting a clear gap between what businesses deliver and what customers expect.
At the same time, satisfaction remains low, with only 11% of under-35s saying they are consistently satisfied with delivery experiences. With these challenges, even the smallest issue in the logistics pipeline may lead to a negative customer review and ruin any long-term loyalty.
From Reactive Planning to Resilient Fleet Operations
The operators leading the way have already taken a new approach to planning. These businesses are looking beyond their current fleet performance and are stress testing their businesses consistently. This type of scenario-based planning exposes weaknesses early, which allows them to act before issues begin to impact cost or service performance.
One of the best ways to move towards scenario-based planning is to enlist a system that allows access to real operational data. Organisations can test network configurations, refine routes based on actual constraints, and balance cost, capacity and service more effectively.
With this kind of technology usage, previous time-consuming decisions can be made far more efficiently. When visibility or data is limited, routes aren’t as effective, and ETAs become unreliable. Therefore, operational inefficiencies increase, driving up costs and reducing service consistency. However, with real-time execution data, businesses can continuously refine routes, respond to issues as they arise and build operations that reflect how deliveries actually perform on the road, helping to create more cost-effective and resilient operations.
Logistics operations rarely operate in predictable conditions for long. As cost pressures increase, networks become more complex and customer expectations continue to rise, the margin for error continues to shrink. In this environment, performance that is simply “OK” won’t remain viable.
With the geopolitical climate affecting almost all aspects of logistics operations, businesses must strengthen how their operations perform under pressure. That means improving planning accuracy, increasing visibility across execution and using data to make more informed decisions at both a strategic and operational level. Those that take steps to address these areas will be better positioned to control costs, maintain service levels and adapt as conditions change. Those who don’t risk being exposed when disruption inevitably occurs.
