Pandemic, geopolitical crises, disrupted trade routes — recent years have shown how sensitively international supply chains react. Companies and customers are therefore increasingly demanding one thing: transparency. Anyone who sends or receives goods today wants to know where they are, when they will arrive and what happens in between.

These new expectations are not hype — they are becoming the standard. Real-time information and clear, verifiable data along the supply chain not only provide control, but one thing in particular: trust.

Why visibility is essential today

Transparent supply chains mean more than just package tracking. They allow:

• Early response to deviations
• Better coordination with partners and service providers
• Traceability for customers and authorities
• Sustainability and compliance documentation

Those who provide proactive information strengthen business relationships. Anyone who acts transparently is perceived as reliable. If you pre-empt inquiries, you save time and money.

Technologies that enable transparency

Technology provides the basis for modern supply chain transparency:

• GPS positioning: For trucks, containers or entire ships.
• IoT (Internet of Things) sensors: monitor temperature, humidity, vibrations, or door openings.
• RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification): Automates the tracking of goods movements.
• Cloud platforms: Make information available to everyone involved in real time.
• Blockchain: Secures data against manipulation and ensures traceability.

Such systems are no longer a vision of the future — they are used daily in the global movement of goods and are becoming even more relevant due to increasing expectations.

Customers want to know what's happening

The increasing importance of real-time tracking can also be derived from studies. A Capgemini survey found:

• 71% of customers expect delivery status in real time
• 62% prefer providers with a transparent supply chain

In many industries, this is a selling point today. Especially in e-commerce or in temperature-controlled transport (e.g. food or pharmaceuticals), any deviation can have enormous effects. Transparent communication creates here competitive advantages.

Use transparency internally and externally

It is not only external communication that benefits from better data. There are also advantages internally:

• Planning security in production
• Reducing inventories
• Improved resource planning
• Verification for ESG reporting (environment, social, governance)

Depending on the industry and the goods being transported, information from real-time tracking systems can integrated into existing systems — whether in ERP software, customs systems or CO₂ balances.

The challenge: data integration & data protection

As useful as tracking systems are, their implementation is not without hurdles:

• Different partners use different systems — interface management is becoming a central task.
• The flood of data must be filtered and contextualized — otherwise there will be information chaos instead of transparency.
• Data protection is a sensitive issue — especially when it comes to personal data and international shipments.

Anyone who takes a structured approach, complies with standards and takes IT security seriously can exploit the benefits without unnecessary risks.

Supply chain transparency is no longer optional — it has become an indispensable tool for combining efficiency, customer satisfaction and sustainability. Companies that invest in digital solutions at an early stage gain a strategic advantage — over the competition, but also in terms of resilience, responsibility and trust.

‍