Only 28% of businesses meet customer expectations

Customer expectations have reached an all-time high, yet only 28% of businesses are successfully meeting these demands, according to a new Körber Supply Chain Benchmarking Report. Consumers are increasingly prioritizing lower prices, faster delivery, easy purchasing and returns processes, alongside greater choice and sustainability.

The report surveyed over 200 companies in North America and Europe. It found that while 92% of supply chain professionals recognize the critical impact of supply chain performance on customer satisfaction, a significant 72% of companies struggle to keep pace with end-customer demand. The survey categorized companies into four maturity levels: leader, advanced, developing, and initiating.

Businesses that excel often look beyond basic warehouse and transportation operations. They leverage technologies such as Order Management Systems (OMS) to optimize order orchestration and fulfillment across their entire network. Additionally, sustainability is becoming a key focus, with 89% of businesses prioritizing transportation optimization.

"Investing in technology that enhances the end customer experience is becoming more critical to meet the overall demand of an increasingly complex and fluid supply chain environment," stated René Hermes, EVP and CMO Software at Körber Business Area Supply Chain. "Successful companies need to conquer a highly competitive, crowded marketplace where the customer has many options to quickly move on from companies that can’t deliver."

Körber offers a suite of technologies, including OMS, dropshipping, Warehouse Management, Warehouse Control, robotics, and voice technology, aimed at streamlining supply chain processes and elevating the end customer experience. Findings are available at benchmarking.koerber-supplychain.com.