Customer Management Specialist – Ocean

Role Summary:

This role ensures the accurate and timely movement of ocean freight shipments, to and from specific locations within the service standards agreed with the customer. Handles all Customer facing communication with the objective of optimizing our business and shipment related internal communication between/with DB Schenker stakeholders. Provides customers with proactive exception management in case of service quality deviations including follow-up and problem resolution. This role understands the customers business, including current shipments, statistical and financial status, and proactively works to identify and resolve operational issues and risks. Finally, this role identifies and acts on opportunities to increase revenue by offering additional services, or forwarding potential sales leads to the appropriate sales resource.

Principal Responsibilities: 

(The following is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all expectations.):

• Act in a manner which increases Customer satisfaction and loyalty, maximizes shipment profitability and decreases operating expenses
• Manage regular market updates and immediate support on market disruptions
• Responsible for getting customer approval for accessorial charges in real time. Explore upsell opportunities with the Shipper / customers (involve Sales Team – as applicable)
• Ensure that ocean export rate cards are filed with the FMC once the customer approves the rate card (if applicable).
• Explore new business opportunities with existing SME customers (e.g. new trade lanes or LCL business)
• Confirm all ocean freight rates are up to date before processing and obtain approval from customer or our destination offices.
• Creating offer and pricing for solutions covering ocean freight services for current Customers through internal pricing and trade channels
• Administrative activity of delivering quotations to potential and current Customers
• Follow-up with potential and current Customers about quotations made
• Request involvement of Sales Team for additional follow-up actions on quotations made
• Maintain information and new business opportunities in Schenker’s CRM tool (SalesCloud) for relevant accounts for visibility purposes
• Comply with internal requirements and KPIs defined for the CRM tool (SalesCloud)
• Support new customer onboarding process
• Update, maintain & execute customer SOP’s / guidelines
• Support and attend occasional customer visits and QBR’s as required / directed by local Management
• Actively participate in growth efforts planned by the Sales organization for specific market opportunities and focus area
• Collaborate with various Trade Operating Centers to ensure shipments are booked, monitored, and scheduled for timely pickup profitability level as planned.
• Promptly respond to customer’s emails, calls, inquiries on timely fashion
• Proactively update customers on pending issues/concerns/inquiries
• Participate in necessary trainings on skills/product knowledge/market updates/system and process updates
• Identifies and acts on opportunities to increase revenue by offering additional services, or forwarding potential sales leads.
• Assist with AR/billing issues for assigned accounts by working with TOC/billing team for resolutions
• Ensure valid quotations are in place
• Continuously obtain adequate shipping volume forecast information from Shipper and relay information to Operations Team and Destination Office
• Measure Award vs Actual volume and understand the deviations
• Generate operational reporting for Customer – as applicable
• Ensure compliance with Customer specific KPI’s – as applicable
• Ensure sustainable retention and growth of existing SME customers in terms of volumes in line with annual targets set
• Provide alert for potential new business / or any existing business in jeopardy to management internally
• Resolution of formal customers claims and informal complaints
• Steer and organize sales activities for assigned, existing ‘SME’ accounts (as assigned by local Management)
• Initiate credit check for Shipper/Customer and follow up on credit issues with Finance Team

Export only:

• Handle continuous pre-shipment status follow-up with shipper and inform Destination office – as applicable
• Qualify booking request details against customer service agreement and current market conditions
• Request and receive pickup instructions from Shipper and relay to Operations Team
• Capture Shipper’s booking request in TMS (TANGO) for file creation
• Facilitate communication between Customer and Export Customs Team – as applicable
• Receive and/or upload relevant Customer documents to digital archive (ODM)

Import only:

• Receive customer booking and qualify booking request details against customer service agreement and current market conditions
• Approve booking to origin office, provide correction instructions to booking as necessary
• Facilitate communication between Customer, Shipper and Origin Export Team – as applicable
• Handle continuous pre-shipment status through follow-up with origin office

Technical Skills (Hard Skills)

1-3 years of experience

Knowledgeable in freight forwarding, both operationally and in customer service (Industry expert)

Excellent oral and written communication and language skills, must be able to do personal phone and video calls with customer (communication skills) 

Digital awareness and capability to apply modern multi-channel customer service (Digital + Media skills) 

Apply standardized practices and carry out customer’s specific requirements noted in the customer’s SOP (Organizational skills)

Ability to monitor business and analyze processes with data tools for continuous improvement (Analytical skills)

Able to align company business goals with client’s goal for retention and growth (development skills)

Tango TMS knowledge is preferred Salescloud CRM system knowledge would be a bonus (System advantages)

Interpersonal Skills (Soft Skills)

Professional conduct and strong work ethic at all time (Professionalism)

Positive personality with a high level of empathy, good listener and helper mentality (Personality)

Must be able to adopt to changing situations and provide a flexible customer service (Flexibility/ Adaptability)

Critical thinking and problem solving to drive solutions (Solution focused) 

Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills to work in team environment (Teamwork)

At DB Schenker, you are part of a global logistics network that connects the world. A network that allows you to shape your career by encouraging you to contribute and truly make a difference. With more than 76,000 colleagues worldwide, we welcome diversity and thrive on individual back-grounds, perspectives and skills. Together as one team, we are Here to move.

Accommodation and Commitment to Equity

Schenker of Canada is proudly committed to ensuring equitable hiring practices and believes in giving each and every applicant an equal opportunity to succeed on his or her own merit. Schenker of Canada strives to ensure that all recruiting processes are non-discriminatory and barrier-free and will provide accommodations throughout the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. If you are selected to participate in our recruitment process, please inform either the recruiter or the hiring manager of the nature of the accommodation(s) that you may require. Information received relating to accommodation needs of applicants will be addressed confidentially.

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