Digital transformation is affecting every industry, including logistics and transportation. The shift to digital — embracing AI, leveraging technology, and using data to drive decisions — has seen the CFO role undergo some major changes over the last few years.
The changing role of the CFO in transport and logistics
Any CFO will tell you — keeping operations running smoothly across the supply chain takes more than just sharp instincts. It demands adaptability and strategic thinking, especially when managing financial risk and investment.
But here’s the rub: 42% of logistics CFOS say complexity prevents them from implementing the right solutions. And that’s why there’s growing urgency to adopt streamlined, integrated platforms that cut friction and boost operational efficiency.
To plan ahead and forecast confidently, today’s CFOs must lead the charge on digital innovation. That means embracing change and choosing tools that help them stay one step ahead, no matter how fast the landscape shifts.
The biggest expense management challenges in transport and logistics
Managing expenses in transport and logistics is no small feat. For CFOs, fragmented costs, complex operations, and constant pressure to improve margins make it tough to stay in control.
From financial planning to day-to-day operations, here are the biggest hurdles finance teams face and why they matter.
1. Lack of financial data transparency
43% of CFOs struggle with real-time visibility into expenses, making it difficult to track spending patterns, identify cost-saving opportunities, and ensure compliance with financial controls.
2. Lengthy and inefficient approval processes
Expense approvals often involve multiple stakeholders across different locations, leading to bottlenecks that delay payments and impact cash flow.
3. Fluctuating costs and budgeting challenges
Volatile fuel prices, unpredictable maintenance costs, and fluctuating supply chain expenses make it hard to maintain accurate budgets.
4. Compliance with evolving regulations
From tax regulations to transport-specific compliance requirements, CFOs must constantly monitor changes to avoid financial penalties and inefficiencies.
5. Cybersecurity risks
49% of CFOs cite cybersecurity as a growing concern, as digital expense management solutions require robust security measures to protect financial data and prevent fraud.
6. Duty of care for employees on the road
Long-distance drivers will inevitably face unpredictable situations on the road, such as illness, accidents, or delays. Without access to company funds, they're forced to cover costs themselves or wait for support. This isn't just a financial risk; it's a human one.
How the right technology can help
Choose a platform that flexes with your business. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t cut it. Your expense management solution needs to do more than tick the boxes for basic security or surface-level analytics; it should adapt to how your logistics business works.
Look for a customisable spend management platform that will scale with you, support complex workflows, and align with your unique approval paths, compliance needs, and organisational structure. Features like in-platform comments and custom fields aren’t just nice to have — they keep your complex processes moving and your team aligned.
More streamlined management
When you manage all expense activity in one place, everything flows. You get faster approvals, smoother processes, and a single source of truth, especially powerful when managing multiple entities.
At Payhawk, for example, you can use the Group Dashboard to monitor spend across your entire organisation, move funds between entities in seconds, and spot trends before they become issues. And with real-time ERP syncs, every team works from the same, accurate data — no confusion, no duplicates, no delays.
A simplified tech stack
[42% of CFOs find IT complexities too cumbersome](https://blacklinesystemsinc.gcs-web.com/news-releases/news-release-details/nearly-40-cfos-do-not-completely-trust-their-organizationsOpens a new window), so implementing an “all-in-one solution” with powerful integrations means you cut down on screen switching and disconnected tools.
Integrate with your ERP, accounting software, HRIS, business travel tools, and more to sync all expense data, instantly reconcile transactions and gain ultimate (and real-time) visibility over company spending.
User-friendly interface
Ensuring high user adoption is vital when introducing any new tool to employees, particularly when it comes to effectively managing expenses across the organisation. Every level of employee needs to use it, so prioritising user-friendly design is a must.
Expense capture functionality should be straightforward with whichever tool you choose. For example, use a solution with a mobile app where employees can quickly snap a picture of their receipt, and the tech takes over, extracting all the important expense data (including date, amount, goods, etc).
AI-powered chasing & insights
Look for an expense management solution that harnesses AI to automate the important but manual stuff and save your finance teams hours every week.
Take Payhawk, for example. Our AI Agents proactively chase missing receipts, follow up on overdue approvals, and flag potential issues — all without manual intervention. That means fewer reminders, cleaner data, and more time for your team to focus on strategic, collaborative work.
Corporate cards that cover your needs
From fuel to tolls to urgent repairs, you need corporate cards that let you issue funds instantly, like virtual, physical, or single-use.
With Payhawk corporate cards, for example, the major European logistics company, Discordia, pre-orders cards for drivers and issues one-off cards to contractors. They also control how, where, and when every card is used with adjustable controls like ATM blocks, limits, card freezes and more.
Plus, with an international and diverse team, Discordia enjoys no FX fees and a card-supporting expense management app in 10+ languages.
Customisable solution
To maximise efficiency, CFOs in transport and logistics need an expense management platform that adapts to their specific business needs. A truly effective system should include:
- Customisable workflows for approvals
- AI-driven automation for data extraction and categorisation
- ERP integration for seamless financial data consolidation
- Role-based access control for improved security
- Mobile-friendly tools for instant expense reporting
Barriers to adoption (and how to get over them)
While time (48%), cultural resistance (44%) and cost (39%) all create barriers to AI adoption for CFOs, 55% said inadequate training is the main barrier stopping them from implementing these solutions.
However, with tech stack investments set to increase by 13% over the next year, it’s clear that embracing new solutions is high on the agenda for many logistics and transport companies.
But how do you overcome the barriers and keep pace with complex systems and change-resistant processes?
The good news: Modern finance tools, especially those powered by AI, are built to help. From OCR, which extracts data from receipts and invoices, to automated approval workflows and real-time error detection, today’s AI features are designed to lighten the load without steep learning curves.
The key is choosing a platform that backs you every step of the way. Look for solutions with excellent customer support, clear help guides, and intuitive features that make life easier from day one.
