Drayage Logistics Account Lead - Customer Operations

**Commission Eligible Position**

POSITION PURPOSE

The Drayage Account Lead will maintain and further develop quality relationships with existing and new customers and warehouses. Provide necessary information to internal departments to meet service parameters required by the customer. Act as a liaison between SOAR Transportation and the carrier sales team to ensure customer performance expectations are met and/or exceeded. Create a sense of partnership between the customer and SOAR Transportation.

JOB FUNCTIONS

• Call customers daily, build rapport, discusses any service challenges, solves problems, solicits freight, and acts as a representative of the company.
• Provide excellent customer service by working with dispatch/procurement teams to ensure on time pickups and deliveries while communicating those timely and proactive shipment updates to the customer.
• Document all special service requirements at a shipment level or overall customer level for each customer and shipment.
• Manage all unplanned accessorial charge issues related to the customer and related warehouses. Document, save emails related to any charges, and ensure that those charges are accurately entered into TMS.
• Works directly with the customers to schedule appointments for the pickup and delivery of their shipments, communicating via phone or email, and using the internet to confirm and book the scheduled load. Once the appointments are confirmed, then confirming the appointment in SOAR’s TMS, and taking the shipment off hold.
• Utilize all Terminal and Container SSL sites to track and trace containers.
• Receive and build all orders in an accurate and timely manner into our operating system or TMS.
• Respond to all customers (Mainly Freight Forwarders) within a 15 minute window.
• Maintain and further develop customer and warehouse relationships through daily communication.
• Understand Drayage Specific terminology.
• Work with account sales owners to define account strategy and relationship owner assignments.
• Builds effective partnerships with internal teams to offer and provide exceptional, seamless customer service.
• Ensure smooth and timely freight process flow and manages freight volumes entered the load boards in TMS.
• Work closely with the commercial pricing team along with the coordinating Enterprise Sales Manager or Business Development Representative in ensuring the customer’s awarded/contracted freight volume is within compliance, work with the same teams during any bid or pricing event such as an RFP or mini bid, and work closely with the same teams and customer on spot pricing any ad hoc freight needs.
• Exercise discretion and develop solid judgement skills on business decisions regarding customer accounts.
• Identifies current market trends when accepting freight to achieve the highest possible margin/revenue.
• Develop and maintain quality working relationships with SOAR Transportation personnel by using various means of communications to have access to the best load opportunities.
• Understand department process flow, constantly looking for areas of improved efficiency.
• Complete cross training on other SOAR Transportation accounts so additional/back up support can be provided when needed.
• Understand each customer’s service requirements and ensure those metrics are being met from an operational standpoint for both Assets and Logistics.
• Understand that the needs of SOAR’s Independent Contractors are the top priority and take precedent over our outside carrier partners.
• Through words and actions support SOAR Transportation’s mission, vision, and values; furthermore, actions and decisions will align with organizational guiding principles.
• Maintain company, employee, and customers confidentiality.
• Follow all work rules as written in the company handbook and company policies and procedures or as communicated by the company Human Resources Department.
• Other duties as assigned by management.

KEY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

• High School diploma and some college preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3-5+ years in transportation is preferred.
• Sales, Marketing or Customer Service experience preferred.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret rate tables, general business periodicals, professional journals.
• Effective interpersonal skills, including proven abilities to listen, comprehend, effectively communicate clearly and concisely to obtain positive results.
• Previous experience with LME/McLeod a plus.
• Excellent communication skills: written and oral.
• Decision-making and problem-solving skills.
• Customer Service experience with high attention to detail.
• Experience working in a deadline driven environment.
• Ability to work in stressful situations.