Advocates for intense, data-driven operational management, including analyzing the rate of change (first derivative) and acceleration (second derivative) of daily KPIs.
Believes in developing proprietary technology, including AI and real-time dashboards, to directly manage and improve frontline employee performance and quality.
Pursues targeted, strategic acquisitions, such as the Yellow terminals, to gain physical capacity and improve operating margins in key markets within a focused business segment.
Connects superior customer service directly to financial performance, using it as a lever to sell higher-margin services and gain profitable market share.
Believes that in the near term, robotics will be dominated by purpose-built machines for specific tasks rather than general-purpose humanoid robots.
▶Technology-Driven Operational ControlApr 2026
Harik emphasizes the development and implementation of proprietary technology to monitor and manage operations at a granular level. This includes real-time performance dashboards for individual employees on handheld devices and AI systems that analyze photos to ensure quality control in trailer loading.
This deep investment in a proprietary tech stack suggests a strategy to create a competitive moat based on operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making, potentially reducing reliance on third-party software vendors and increasing control over service quality.
▶Intensive Performance ManagementApr 2026
Harik's management philosophy involves the daily monitoring of a small set of key performance indicators (KPIs), analyzing not just their value but also their rate of change (first derivative) and acceleration (second derivative). This quantitative approach extends to the workforce, where individual performance is tracked and employees who underperform, for instance by causing freight damage, are put into specific coaching programs.
This 'management by derivatives' approach, likely stemming from Harik's engineering background, indicates a culture that prioritizes momentum and proactive problem-solving over static, lagging indicators, but may also risk fostering a high-pressure work environment.
▶Strategic Growth through Acquisition and FocusApr 2026
Harik details XPO's strategic decision to split into three separate companies to focus exclusively on the less-than-truckload (LTL) business. This focus was followed by a significant strategic move: the acquisition of 28 terminals from bankrupt competitor Yellow for nearly $1 billion, which is expected to improve operating margins and provide capacity for future growth.
XPO's strategy under Harik appears to be a pivot from broad M&A-fueled diversification (under founder Brad Jacobs) to a more focused approach of targeted, strategic asset acquisition to deepen its market penetration and operational leverage within a single core business segment.
▶Connecting Service Quality to ProfitabilityApr 2026
Harik articulates a clear link between providing a high level of customer service and achieving financial success. He states that superior service allows XPO to sell supplemental services at higher margins and gain more profitable market share. This belief is operationalized by tying employee compensation plans in part to improvements in the customer service product, not just revenue.
By directly incentivizing service quality in compensation plans, Harik is embedding a customer-centric approach into the company's financial and operational DNA, betting that long-term profitability is best secured through service differentiation rather than pure cost competition.