AI, EVs with Martin Petkov from SGT Auto Transport

Tech advances are pervasive in all kinds of industries, and the logistics business (including auto logistics) is no exception. And just like in other businesses, it’s important to stay one step ahead of all those innovations, or else run the risk of losing competitiveness and falling behind. And just like in other industries, artificial intelligence is shaping up to be a real game changer in the logistics field, with several different applications, including customer service, routing and dispatch, billing and more.  AI also holds a lot of promise for optimizing pricing with a real-time car shipping rate engine and helping to predict future demand and shifts in traffic and workload. 

 Logistics companies are also starting to embrace blockchain to streamline billing and transactions, enhancing security and lowering transaction fees. With all these advances, the goal is more or less the same: streamlining processes, reducing paperwork and redundancy, freeing up employees for other tasks and, above all, enhancing the customer experience. 

Finally, more widespread adoption of EVs and green technology is having an impact on the actual logistics end, and the drivers in the field, and that’s also reflected in the awareness of  customers who are leaning more toward carbon-neutral solutions for their shipping needs. These are all proving to be technologies and systems that will disrupt the logistics industry, but it’ll all pay off for customers as well as the businesses themselves by streamlining how things are done, boosting efficiency, optimizing real-time pricing and reducing operational costs.  

Recently, Martin Petkov from SGT Auto Transport was interviewed and shared his thoughts about some of the changes and innovations that are going on in the auto logistics business: 

Edwards: There's so much talk about AI making its way into various industries, what kind of impacts are you seeing regarding AI and the logistics business? 

Martin: Really, we’re still some ways off from seeing widespread adoption, I think a lot of people still see it as emerging technology that’s not mature yet. Most of the companies that are embracing it are transport brokers, while at the carrier level we’re seeing it mainly for admin details like Bill of Lading documents. We do expect that to change, though. 

Edwards: Where is AI making inroads? Logistics, scheduling, customer service? 

Martin: We’re seeing AI become more commonplace in all those arenas. At SGT, we’re using a system called Sprel.tech; they have introduced a rate engine that sets pricing in real time, which also enhances efficiency and cuts operational costs. It also helps with customer service by streamlining scheduling and carrier selection as well as giving customers faster, more accurate quotes. 

Edwards: Looking five years down the road, what are some changes you expect to see? 

Martin: I anticipate AI having some real impacts when it comes to customer experience, AI-enhanced pricing and logistics and load matching and dispatch that will all be enhanced. I also think EV technology and carbon-neutral shipping options are going to come into play in the field, and blockchain is going to be more common billing (reducing fraud and error). These are all advancements that will reduce a lot of paperwork and time invested. 

Edwards: What are some of the changes you see on the horizon for 2025? 

Martin: I think at the customer experience level, people are wanting a closer adherence to the window of time they’ve been quoted for pickup and dropoff. It’s all about service quality and transparency. Also, on the carrier side, digitalization and software-driven solutions are becoming a lot more common. Forecasts also are talking about an uptick in auto sales, so we might see a similar spike in demand for auto transport services. 

Edwards: What’s a statistic in the auto transport business that most people don’t know? 

Martin: I think one thing that would come as a surprise is that most auto logistics aren’t handled by big corporate fleets; over 90% of shipments are done by owner-operators and small businesses that have their own trucks. 

Edwards: What are some ways that economic conditions are affecting car shipping demand? 

Martin: There’s a lot of uncertainty and flux in the economic climate right now. That and high mortgage rates are affecting home sales and relocations, which in turn impacts us. Companies are having to recalculate rates; inflation is hitting everyone, but we all have to do what we can to stay competitive. 

Edwards: What’s one of the most prevalent misconceptions about auto logistics? 

Martin: Well, there’s a lot of them! Maybe one of the most common myths is that people don’t realize what goes into any auto transport job; they think it’s like Uber Eats, you book your delivery and the driver just shows up and gets your car on its way to its destination. Truth is, there are a lot of moving parts and details that have to be sorted out, with factors like constantly changing market rates, coordination with a network of contract carriers, and unpredictable factors in the field like weather, traffic, routing and seasonal delays. Needless to say, there’s a lot to account for in any cross-country auto logistics task. 

Edwards: What’s a common mistake that people make when they hire an auto shipping company? 

Martin: They go for the cheapest one they can find, and then they get what they pay for with poor service, sloppy support, bait-and-switch tactics and hidden fees. 

Edwards: What is it that sets SGT Auto Transport apart from your competitors? 

Martin: I was hoping you’d ask that – it’s our dedication to service and to making sure that every experience our customers have is going to be seamless and friction-free. That carries over into our customer care, our drivers in the field, everyone and everything. Every customer wants to feel respected and valued, and that’s what we shoot for every time; we want people to feel like they’re stakeholders and that we’re working out auto shipping solutions together. We’re all car people ourselves, we understand what a vehicle means to its owner (far beyond its resale value), and we treat every vehicle with the respect and attention it would get if it was one of ours. We’ve got over 10,000 positive reviews online, and they all speak of transparency, trustworthiness, competitive pricing and, most of all, professionalism. That’s the kind of thing that got us where we are today, and it’s how we do business. 

Read original Interview at move.org.