Check Call: Small and medium-size businesses have strong feelings about 2025

Another year and another season of trying to keep a supply chain resilient and ready – and trying to figure out what the year will look like. Most recently DHL Express released a survey of what hundreds of small and medium-size enterprises are planning for a 2025 that promises to be unpredictable.

Overall everyone seems pretty optimistic as to the overall performance of 2025 versus 2024. Sixty-seven percent are anticipating better performance in 2025, despite the uncertainty of possible new regulations, policies and geopolitical factors. 

The most-watched thing for small to medium-size enterprises isn’t a massive surprise, as it seems everyone from consumers to Fortune 500 companies are on tariff watch. The incoming presidential administration has talked at length about imposing tariffs, and with the actual percentages of tariffs still uncertain, it is the top focus of 67% of those surveyed.

The survey finds, “While 40% of businesses are still evaluating how regulatory and policy changes will impact their growth, there is a divided outlook on the potential effects. 24% believe regulatory changes could negatively impact growth, while 20% see these changes as having a positive impact. Notably, trade regulations (67%) are considered the most important area of regulatory change for businesses in 2025, signaling the ongoing importance of international trade considerations.”

It’s only two weeks into the new year, and 30% of those surveyed expect to make minor adjustments to their supply chain strategies for 2024. An impressive 13% are ready to significantly adjust their approach. That leaves 57% looking to keep strategies the same regardless of what may happen.

When it comes to growth, which is what everyone wants to hear about their shippers,40% of survey respondents said the biggest opportunities will be expansion into new markets. A substantial 31% said economic improvement and implementing new technologies (14%) are …

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