Client Account Specialist

Highway Transport•Houston, TX

3d•$56,000 - $77,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Client Account Specialist is the central point of contact for customers, managing day-to-day activities and communications. The role books loads, communicates customer requirements to operations personnel, and provides customers with timely shipment-status updates. It may also involve soliciting business from existing customers. The specialist works closely with operations personnel, sales, and third-party vendors. This in-office position is based in La Porte, Houston, Texas, with a listed salary range of $56,000–$77,000. The specialist manages customer requirements and load tenders, coordinates load scheduling and booking, oversees shipment changes and capacity coverage, and manages revenue and accessorial charges. The role also oversees chemical-critical shipments, dedicated-driver operations, and customer account scorecards. Highway Transport describes itself as a family-owned tanker trucking company since 1948, with a family-oriented culture. The company’s Responsible Care commitment focuses on employee and contractor health and safety, environmental protection, and minimizing operational impacts on roadways and terminal areas. Its policies require compliance with applicable safety, transportation, environmental, and local regulations.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalency required.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
Ability to build strong client relationships.
Ability to exercise independent judgment and address customer requests in a timely manner.
Strong organizational skills.
Ability to proactively assess, clarify, and validate customer needs on an ongoing basis.
Ability to work with deadlines and interruptions in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to use Microsoft software, especially Outlook, Excel, and SharePoint.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree preferred.
One or more years of customer service experience preferred.
Transportation logistics or operations experience preferred.
Transportation Management software experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

Identify and understand customer requirements.
Review order tenders and work to ensure requested coverage is met.
Review primary and non-primary lanes.
Help cover overflow and chemical-critical requests.
Verify that customer requirements, directions, and contacts are accurate and current.
Complete required customer reports and analyses.
Build and accept load tenders.
Coordinate load appointments with service center operations, as applicable to shipment origin.
Comply with company transit standards.
Obtain Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for new products and verify that product SDS are current and accurate.
Review load information and requirements before committing to a load, and review new products with the tank wash department, equipment planners, and driver managers.
Manage shipment changes and communicate them to Highway personnel.
Turn loads back when necessary and provide the best available coverage option when capacity is tight.
Understand customer tariffs and accessorials, audit loads for additional accessorial charges, and communicate additional charges to customers and the billing department.
Fill capacity gaps by reaching out to customers and stay current on capacity at each service center.
Continue developing skills and knowledge related to job assignments.
Interact with employees and customers to facilitate positive working relationships.
Proactively improve customer performance metrics.
Oversee chemical-critical shipments from beginning to end.
Manage dedicated-driver business fleets while working directly with customers, drivers, loading facilities, and the billing department.
Review and monitor account scorecards and manage them.
Adhere to company policies and procedures.