Several years ago, I noticed that I was hearing more and more C-Level executives talking about supply chain and logistics issues. So I created a presentation called Supply Chain Issues Have Barged into the Boardroom. Since then, I’ve shared that presentation with more than 5,000 C-Level executives.
And guess what? Supply chain issues never left the boardroom.
Survey after survey from major consulting firms has reinforced what many CEOs have learned firsthand: supply chain issues can have a significant impact on whether a company succeeds—or, as I like to say, whether they help make or sink your boat.
I bring this up because right now there are a whole bunch of important issues that could affect your logistics and supply chain costs for the remainder of 2026 and well into 2027.
For those of you who regularly read the Two-Minute Warning, none of this should be a surprise. Over the past four months, we’ve talked about changing Truckload and LTL markets and rising costs. Parcel costs continue to move higher, and peak-season surcharges are sobering. Trade and tariff policies remain unsettled. DOT enforcement initiatives are creating new questions. And there is certainly no shortage of geopolitical events that can change sourcing, inventory and transportation decisions almost overnight.
Add it all up and this “stuff” can have a very real impact on your balance sheet and income statement.
Which brings me back to something I’ve said for years:
You can’t manage what you can’t see.
With today’s volatility, no one can predict exactly what is going to happen next. That makes it even more important to see what is coming, understand how it could affect your company and decide what you can do about it.
When C-Level executives ask me what they should be doing to manage their supply chains in this environment, I have one very simple suggestion:
Get your people in the Room.
Here are two outstanding opportunities to do exactly that—and learn a great deal about how other companies are addressing many of the same logistics and supply chain issues you may be facing.
The CSCMP EDGE Conference in Nashville, October 4–7, will bring together supply chain leaders from across the country to discuss many of the issues companies are confronting today—and some that may not yet be on your radar.
The NITL Engage Policy Forum in Washington, D.C., November 30–December 2, provides another perspective, particularly around transportation, regulatory and policy issues that can directly affect shippers.
But here is something that may be even more valuable than the presentations: the people in the room.
When you attend these events, you have the opportunity to talk with other shippers, carriers and industry experts. Ask what they’re seeing. And, more importantly, ask what they’re doing about it.
Information Is Only the First Step
Going to a conference doesn’t solve a supply chain problem. Neither does reading another report, another Two-Minute Warning or looking at another freight index.
At some point, you have to answer the question that really matters:
What does all of this mean for my company, and what should we be doing now?
That’s where TranzAct can help.
We have a wealth of transportation data, analytics and technology. Even more important, we have people who have spent decades working with carriers and helping companies manage transportation issues. Sometimes the real value is helping a shipper separate the noise from the issues that deserve attention—and then determining what to do about them.
Look, controlling freight markets, tariffs, regulations or geopolitical events is way beyond anyone’s capabilities. But you can understand how these issues may affect your company, identify where you are exposed and take steps now to be better prepared for what comes next.
We’ll be at both CSCMP EDGE and NITL Engage. If you’re attending, we’d welcome the opportunity to connect.
And if you’re not, we’ll continue doing what we try to do every week with the Two-Minute Warning: help you understand what’s happening, why it matters and, most importantly, what you can do about it.
If you’d like to go one step further, give our team 30 minutes. We’ll talk about the issues that could affect your logistics and supply chain, help identify where your greatest exposure may be and discuss practical steps you can take now to prepare for 2027.
There is a lot happening.
Make sure you can see it.
Here are a few ways to get in touch:
☎️ Give us a call at 630-833-0890
✉️ Send us an email at solutions@tranzact.com
💻 Contact us by completing our online form
🕑 Schedule a conversation with a member of the TranzAct team