Account Manager
The Account Manager is responsible for managing key customer relationships, ensuring service excellence, and identifying opportunities for growth and operational improvement. This role involves cross-functional collaboration, proactive communication, and hands-on problem-solving to meet customer expectations and drive results. Account Managers act as the primary point of contact for customers, working closely with internal and external partners to deliver high-quality logistics solutions. This role requires strong knowledge of car hauling transportation and logistics operations, including working with OEMs, auctions, and dealer networks.
Key Responsibilities
Customer Relationship Management
- Build and maintain strong customer relationships to ensure satisfaction and retention.
- Act as the primary liaison between customers and third-party broker networks for effective communication and issue resolution.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work with national customers, vendors, and internal teams to design and execute solutions for complex requirements.
- Collaborate with claims management personnel to resolve issues efficiently.
Revenue Growth and Profitability
- Seek opportunities to grow revenues and improve profitability.
- Analyze spot-buy opportunities and assign rates to balance business gain with desired profitability.
Quality and Performance Management
- Investigate quality issues and discrepancies, suggesting corrective actions and working with stakeholders to resolve them.
- Review customer KPI reports and address areas of concern.
Pricing and Bids
- Enter RFQ opportunities in Salesforce and manage the bid process.
- Coordinate with the Pricing team for spot buys and special move requests.
- Follow up on bid status and ensure all opportunities are logged accurately.
- Lead the preparation and delivery of Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs), including gathering performance data, identifying trends, and creating presentations to highlight value delivered and opportunities for improvement.
Inventory Management
- Conduct daily reviews of on-hold inventory, dwell times, and ground counts.
- Communicate with terminals and operations teams to ensure SLA compliance and inventory accuracy.
Customer Meetings
- Lead and schedule regular meetings with customers, preparing agendas and action plans.
- Work with operations and regional managers to address delays and provide solutions.
- Document and communicate meeting outcomes, logging notes in Salesforce and escalating issues as necessary.
Communication
- Internal: Proactively communicate urgent issues, provide weekly updates on account status.
- Customer: Proactively communicate with customers, acknowledging inquiries and ensuring timely follow-ups.
Skills and Qualifications
- Customer Service Orientation: Passion for exceptional service and long-term relationship building.
- Communication Skills: Effective oral and written communication with diverse stakeholders.
- Organizational Skills: Highly organized and detail-oriented, capable of managing multiple tasks.
- Analytical Skills: Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate alternatives and make decisions.
- Technical Proficiency: Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel) and routing or dispatching systems.
- Experience: College degree or five years of customer service experience, preferably in transportation, logistics, or carrier management. Experience in the remarketed automotive industry is a plus.