Multi-Aspect Study of the Transport, Forwarding, and Logistic Sector

Abstract

This article presents a novel, proprietary multi-aspect evaluation method designed specifically for assessing service in the transport, forwarding, and logistics (T&L) sector, with a focus on international road transport. Developed in 2023 in response to growing market volatility – including disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions such as the war in Ukraine, escalating energy prices, and regulatory changes like the EU Mobility Package – the method provides a robust framework for assessing and comparing service implementation across various market segments. It integrates economic, technical, qualitative, and environmental sustainability dimensions. Unlike existing methods, this approach facilitates precise service assessment comparisons between providers and clients, thereby uncovering substantial discrepancies in service perception. While both customers and companies identified faultless deliveries, reliability, and timeliness as key service selection criteria, companies consistently assigned higher importance ratings – particularly emphasizing completeness of service – revealing a tendency toward overestimation that suggests the need for more realistic self-assessment aligned with customer expectations. Empirical research conducted in 2023 using standardized questionnaires and interval-based evaluation techniques uncovered systematic overestimations by T&L companies regarding their service performance. Notably, companies frequently overestimate their service performance in areas such as reliability, technical standards, and reputation. The proposed method stands out for its integration of economic, technical, qualitative, and environmental sustainability parameters, along with its statistical rigor, as it applies tools such as Student’s t-test, the Mann–Whitney U test, chi-square test, and Cramer’s V coefficient. Its simplicity, low implementation cost, and adaptability make it suitable for repeated commercial use across different service segments. This innovative approach supports the development of rankings and forecasting trends. By offering a validated and scalable tool for comparative analysis, this innovative method fills a critical gap in the evaluation of T&L services and companies. It provides actionable insights for both internal management and external market positioning, with relevance extending beyond Poland to the broader EU context.