For several years, we have been observing a decline in rail transport, a phenomenon that affects not only transport in our country, but similar trends can also be observed in other European countries. An important reason for this state of affairs is the fact that highly developed economies show a decreasing demand for the transport of bulk goods year by year, while the quantity of highly processed goods, which are more expensive and transported in smaller quantities, is increasing.
High competition among transport companies means that staying in this market and potential further development requires meeting very high, difficult, and sometimes sophisticated customer expectations.
Freight transport clients are increasingly less interested in the means of transport used, and more in the speed and cost at which the goods will be delivered to their destination. Important elements here are also quality, punctuality, reliability of transport, safety of the shipment, and comprehensiveness of services.
To meet the growing needs of customers, there is an increasing shift away from conventional methods of moving cargo in favor of combined transport, which, due to its nature, plays a significant role
in logistics processes.
Satisfying individual customer needs creates a need to move away from the traditional understanding of transport services, to exceed existing standards, and to implement a market orientation within the company.
The modern customer increasingly requires for their transport processes,
and often also warehousing, a single, clearly indicated, and suitable transport partner for the entire chain of the cargo movement process in rail freight and international traffic.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 2/2003.