Customer Service Manager

📍 Corporate Headquarters - LONG BEACH, CA 90802-4229

Overview

Salary Range:

$115,000.00 - $125,000.00 Salary/year

Position Type:

Full Time

Job Shift:

Day

Education Level:

4 Year Degree

Travel Percentage:

Up to 25%

Category:

Customer Service

Customer Service Manager

We’re hiring a Customer Service Manager to lead a team of 6–10 Account Managers, including offshore team members, and drive disciplined execution across the full container lifecycle. This role is responsible for enforcing account manager (AM) 360 performance, daily operational reliability, exception recovery, billing accuracy, and customer scorecard improvement. You’ll build a culture of accountability, consistency, proactive communication, and transparent customer engagement while ensuring every account receives dependable, high‑capacity service.

Key Focus Areas: • Lead, coach, and develop AMs; enforce SOP and AM 360 standards • Ensure single‑thread container ownership and daily execution discipline • Oversee load planning, prioritization, and real‑time service monitoring • Drive same‑day exception recovery and root‑cause resolution • Ensure 24‑hour shipment closure and billing accuracy • Improve customer KPIs: on‑time %, dwell, exceptions • Implement structural fixes and drive process consistency across teams • Foster open, transparent communication with customers to build trust and clarity • Maintain consistent, clear messaging and transparency in issue resolution and updates

Key Responsibilities

Accountability and Container Ownership

• Eliminate handoffs and enforce single-thread accountability per container
• Drive daily AM 360 discipline

Outcome: Clear end-to-end ownership of each container with no accountability gaps or handoff failures.

Operational Oversight and Daily Execution

• Lead daily huddles and operational cadence
• Ensure proper load planning, prioritization, and capacity alignment
• Monitor execution in real time across dispatch, drivers, and terminals

Outcome: Consistent daily execution, strong workload control, and reliable on-time service performance.

Exception Resolution and Service Recovery

• Act as escalation point for delays, missed appointments, and service failures
• Ensure root cause identification
• Drive same-day corrective action
• Hold Account Managers accountable for resolution

Outcome: Faster issue resolution, fewer repeat service failures, and stronger recovery from operational disruptions.

Financial Accuracy and Reconciliation

• Enforce 24-hour shipment closure after empty termination
• Oversee billing accuracy:
  • Accessorial
  • Detention
  • Chassis
  • Storage
• Prevent revenue leakage and disputes

Outcome: Timely shipment closure, accurate billing, and reduced revenue leakage across accounts.

Performance Management and Customer Outcomes

• Track:
  • Customer scorecards (on-time %, dwell, exceptions)
  • Individual AM performance
• Identify trends and drive corrective action
• Ensure proactive customer communication

Outcome: Improved customer performance results, stronger visibility into trends, and more proactive account management.

Team Leadership and Process Improvement

• Train and coach AMs on 360 ownership execution
• Enforce SOP compliance (no exceptions)
• Identify process breakdowns and implement structural fixes
• Drive consistency across accounts and teams

Outcome: Greater team consistency, stronger process discipline, and sustained operational improvement.

Success Measures

• Consistent ownership of the full container lifecycle with no accountability gaps.
• Reliable daily execution and on-time service performance across accounts.
• Faster resolution of service failures and fewer repeat operational issues.
• Timely shipment closure, accurate billing, and reduced revenue leakage.
• Improved customer scorecard performance and proactive client communication.
• Strong team compliance with operating procedures and AM 360 execution standards.

Scorecard / KPI Measures

• Container Ownership: Percentage of shipments with clear single-point ownership from pickup through empty return.
• On-Time Performance: Percentage of appointments, pickups, and deliveries executed on time.
• Exception Rate: Number and percentage of loads with service failures, missed appointments, or preventable delays.
• Same-Day Recovery: Percentage of operational exceptions addressed with corrective action on the same day.
• 24-Hour Shipment Closure: Percentage of shipments closed within 24 hours of empty termination.
• Billing Accuracy: Accuracy rate for accessorial, detention, chassis, and storage billing with minimal disputes or write-offs.
• Revenue Protection: Value of recovered revenue and reduction in leakage tied to missed charges or unresolved billing issues.
• Customer Scorecard Performance: Improvement in customer-facing KPIs such as on-time percentage, dwell, and exception trends.
• AM Performance Compliance: Adherence to AM 360 execution standards, SOP compliance, and follow-through expectations.
• Process Improvement Effectiveness: Number of recurring operational issues resolved through structural corrective actions

Supervisory Responsibilities

Directly supervises 5 to 7 company employees in the Customer Service Department. Directly supervises 3-5 contractors based abroad. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws; interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; leading by example and motivating staff; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Competencies and Qualifications

• 8–10+ years of customer service, account management, or operations experience within transportation, logistics, or supply chain.
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university required, preferably in Business Administration, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Transportation, or a related field.
• Prior experience in drayage, port transportation, or intermodal operations strongly preferred.
• Previous supervisory or management experience required.
• Working knowledge of import/export container movements, ports, marine terminals, steamship lines, appointment systems, and container availability.
• Understanding of demurrage, detention, per diem, storage, last free days, and other common drayage accessorial charges.
• Strong customer service and relationship-management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to remain professional and solutions-focused during service disruptions.
• Ability to prioritize multiple shipments, customers, and time-sensitive issues in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail and follow-through.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and transportation management systems (TMS); experience with drayage-specific technology is a plus.

Core Competencies

• Customer Focus
• Leadership & Team Development
• Communication
• Problem Solving
• Accountability
• Sense of Urgency
• Operational Awareness
• Relationship Management
• Attention to Detail
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Adaptability

Physical & Work Requirements

• Ability to perform work primarily in an office environment.
• Ability to sit and work at a computer for extended periods.
• Ability to communicate regularly by telephone, email, messaging platforms, and other electronic systems.
• May occasionally be required to visit port terminals, customer facilities, or other operational locations.
• Due to the time-sensitive nature of drayage operations, occasional availability outside of normal business hours may be required to address urgent customer or operational issues.