Businesses’ international ambitions are often tested by the practical friction of operating across borders. Moving from trading opportunity to execution requires the knowledge, capabilities and support to navigate regulation, customs, local market conditions and new technologies. The findings suggest that these needs are becoming more closely connected as the complexity of trade increases.
Practical support for a more complex trading environment
The support international businesses want reflects the practical demands of trading in a less predictable world. Nearly a third of international firms, 31%, say they would benefit from help complying with regulatory requirements, while 28% want support with customs procedures. For many businesses, the difference between entering a market and overlooking it comes down to confidence that these technical and bureaucratic processes can be handled without disproportionate cost or risk.
Weave Hub is a U.S.-based importer and distributor of home textiles, connecting suppliers and production partners in Pakistan with customers across the United States.
I really believe in working with experts. No matter how good you are at what you do, there are experts who can help you in every area, and you need to work with them. We are always looking for people with the right knowledge and the right understanding because you have to be creative to manage a constantly changing landscape.
Technical compliance, though, is only one part of the picture. Technology is also becoming part of the trade-support agenda. More than a quarter of international firms (27%) identify expertise in AI integration as a capability they need, placing it close behind regulatory and customs support. This suggests that businesses increasingly see AI not as a separate investment priority, but as one of the tools that may help them manage the complexity of international trade.
