Q&A with Brian Thompson, Chief Communication Officer, SMC³ Q: From your unique perspective, what do you see as the biggest challenges facing logistics andsupply chain professionals as we move into 2025? A: A significant challenge confronting the industry is the likelihood of shifting freight trends due to the relocation of production and manufacturing facilities worldwide, […]

SMC3 Jump Start 2025 Day 2 continued to inspire and educate as we learned from leaders in all facets of the industry how emerging technology, partnerships, and strategic investments can create growth opportunities for freight companies—and how they can combat fraud and strategic theft in 2025.

The first day of SMC3’s Jump Start 2025 conference offered its 700+ attendees a blend of practical insights and forward-looking discussions from across the supply chain industry. The day featured expert panels, economic forecasts, and a thought-provoking keynote from Zack Kass, former head of OpenAI’s Go-To-Market strategy, and one of the foremost authorities on artificial intelligence. 

Often, data science is misunderstood as a specialized application of various tools and technology. But as Martin Ryan, vice president of pricing at XPO, emphasized in a recent SMC3 session, the real power of data science lies in knowing how to ask the right questions.

Sometimes, technology alone can be the fast fix for improving business outcomes. More often, the difference maker is technology delivered and backed by a true business partner, a partner who supports business functions and is invested to ensure their solutions perform and directly contribute to improving LTL transportation management. This is especially true in LTL, where digitized execution, visibility and optimized efficiency are key to customer service.

LTL application program interfaces (APIs) are invaluable tools when it comes to improving 3PL operations. They heighten visibility, eliminate manual processes, and enable businesses to take a streamlined approach to shipping management.