More Than a System Upgrade: Why Terminal Innovation Starts with People
Author: Sarah Berger, Sales Manager at INFORM GmbH
27.08.2025 | Intermodal terminals across Europe are undergoing a quiet but profound transformation towards digitization and automation – driven by rising volumes, sustainability goals, and the growing complexity of multimodal logistics. In 2024 alone, global intermodal terminals recorded an 8.5% volume increase, largely fueled by a 13.9% jump in international container movements.
But implementing new technologies, from real-time data platforms to AI-powered yard optimization, requires more than capital investment. It demands a cultural shift. For lean teams steeped in routine and workflows, the change can feel highly personal and disruptive. The question is no longer just “Is your terminal technically ready?” but also: “Are your people ready to embrace the shift?”
This article explores how structured change management is becoming a key success factor in the modernization of intermodal terminals.
Why Change Management Matters in Terminal Modernization
Technology alone doesn’t deliver transformation, people do. That’s a reality that is too often overlooked when intermodal terminals introduce new systems. The effectiveness of AI-driven systems relies not solely on their technical performance, but critically on user trust and acceptance of their decisions.
Resistance is natural, especially in terminal environments where lean teams have refined manual processes over decades. A recent study by IDC found that while 80% of employees expect technology to improve their roles, a substantial segment remains apprehensive. The main concerns are job security, lack of clarity, and the rapid pace of change, with one of the greatest fears being the loss of decision-making authority and the risk of becoming passive executors of AI-driven instructions.
These concerns aren’t trivial. Across industries, resistance to change is cited as one of the top three reasons digital projects underperform. And in smaller inland terminals, where every operator, planner, and foreman play a vital role, friction between people and process can derail even the best-designed system.
That’s where structured change management enters the picture.
What’s Changing in Intermodal Terminals and Why It Matters
Intelligent and automated decision-making has long been a standard in industries like automotive and aviation, but it’s only now gaining traction in terminal operations, holding a massive potential for boosting efficiency and resilience. Predictive analytics and live data platforms have reduced unplanned downtime by up to 22% in some terminals, while also cutting congestion and improving asset utilization. The environmental benefits are equally compelling: optimized moves and shorter truck queues contribute to lower CO₂ emissions, perfectly aligning with the European Union’s modal shift and climate goals.
But these efficiencies come with a catch: A crane operator, for instance, may no longer sit in the cabin, but remotely manage two cranes from a central control room. This shift brings more responsibility, a broader operational view, and requires new skills.
But it’s important to note: the people who truly understand how terminals operate are the ones best positioned to succeed in these new roles. Their experience is critical, and the goal is not to replace it, but to build on it. That’s why successful transformation must include change management that supports people in making this transition with confidence and clarity.
Three Change Management Models at a Glance
To navigate operational transformation effectively, terminals need more than intuition. They need structure. Fortunately, there are well-established frameworks that can help.
Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model, developed at Harvard Business School, provides a useful framework for managing transformation, starting with building a sense of urgency, creating a strong guiding coalition, and securing early wins. In terminal environments, these early wins, like a measurable drop in rehandles, successful remote crane operations, or improved dispatch accuracy, can demonstrate the value of digital systems early on and foster user confidence.
The McKinsey 7-S Framework takes a broader view, focusing on alignment across seven organizational dimensions: strategy, structure, systems, shared values, skills, style, and staff. While originally developed for business organizations, the framework is equally valuable in operational environments, where complex systems and human roles must remain in sync. In terminal environments, automation tends to shift responsibilities rather than hierarchies. By enabling individuals to oversee multiple tasks that were previously handled manually, this holistic approach by McKinsey helps ensure that changes in one area support developments in others, rather than conflict with them.
Bridges’ Transition Model highlights the emotional dimension of change by framing it as a process of ending, transitioning, and new beginning. This perspective fits intermodal terminals very well, since manual tasks are often deeply embedded in routine and operational identity. Acknowledging the value of past contributions is essential. If automation is perceived as a devaluation of existing work, it can lead to resistance. Successful transformation therefore requires not only technical implementation, but also a transition process in which employees continue to feel valued and supported.
Applying Bridges’ Transition Model in a Terminal Setting
In the “Ending, Losing, Letting Go” phase, employees confront the erosion of trusted workflows. Yard planners may feel sidelined as AI begins to take over operational decisions. Operators may question the logic behind certain system actions, especially when these differ from long-standing practices. What helps? Honest communication, empathy, and clear answers about what is changing and what remains the same. Equally important is explaining why the AI makes certain decisions, clarifying the underlying logic and data relationships can significantly increase trust, particularly when system outputs initially seem counterintuitive to experienced staff.
The “Neutral Zone” marks a critical transition phase in which old routines lose relevance while new behaviors are not yet established. This period often involves uncertainty and inconsistent system use. Successful implementation requires not only real-time support and the recognition of early successes, but also structured supervision, clear expectations, and a degree of procedural discipline to ensure long-term behavioral change.
During the “New Beginning”, employees gain confidence in new tools and workflows. While core tasks often remain the same, they are performed in more system-driven ways, requiring digital skills, awareness, and adaptability. Recognition, support, and visible leadership are key to embedding these changes.
How INFORM Supports Change Beyond Technology
At INFORM, we recognize that successful digital transformation in terminal operations depends as much on human dynamics as on technological capability. Accordingly, our approach extends beyond software deployment, we work in close partnership with terminal stakeholders to enable sustainable organizational change.
This includes early engagement with local teams, not only through training, but by actively involving them in shaping the rollout process. We conduct on-site or remote workshops, use hands-on simulations before our add-on optimization modules are implemented, and adapt timelines to match organizational readiness. Crucially, our involvement does not end at go-live: we continue to support teams, for example, through post-launch coaching to ensure long-term adoption success.
Conclusion: Change is The Human Backbone of Terminal Innovation
While technology may initiate transformation, it is the people who shape its outcome. As intermodal terminals respond to growing volume, environmental pressure, and digital imperatives, organizational readiness must be addressed as deliberately as technical implementation.
Structured change management ensures that transformation is not only executed but embraced. According to IRJMETS, digital projects supported by robust change frameworks are up to 70% more likely to achieve their ROI targets. In terminal operations, where every shift, every role, and every handover count, that support is decisive.
What truly makes the difference? Not just top-down decision-making, but inclusive engagement. Even small team-building efforts or shared involvement in planning can significantly increase trust and ownership.
So, the real question is: Is your terminal ready, not just technologically, but culturally, for what’s next? The tools exist. The models are in place. But lasting transformation begins when teams feel involved, respected, and supported throughout the journey.