Ocean Freight Customer Service Specialist

Commodity Supplies AG; Wollerau; On-site; CHF 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Commodity Supplies AG in Switzerland seeks an Ocean Freight Customer Service Specialist to manage bookings, allocations, and billing support for global freight operations. You will be the main contact for customers, resolve complex issues, maintain CRM records, and coordinate with carriers and internal teams to ensure excellent service.

The role requires strong knowledge of ocean freight, Incoterms, and shipping documentation, plus fluency in German and English.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience in ocean freight, freight forwarding, logistics, or customer service.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Logistics, International Trade, or related field preferred.
• Strong understanding of ocean freight operations, shipping documentation, carrier tariffs, and Incoterms.
• Native-level German and fluent English communication skills.
• Experience with CRM platforms such as Salesforce or Zendesk.
• Ability to read freight contracts, rate sheets, and customer agreements.
• Strong commercial understanding of ocean freight billing and invoice validation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Outlook, Excel, and Word.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple customer cases and priorities simultaneously.
• Certifications in FIATA, IATA are advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the main point of contact for customer inquiries regarding bookings, allocations, contract terms, and shipment updates.
• Manage day-to-day freight allocation requests and coordinate capacity with the procurement team.
• Provide timely and accurate information on shipment status, allocation availability, and schedule changes.
• Maintain accurate customer records and case documentation within CRM systems.
• Handle customer disputes related to freight rates, surcharges, contracts, and service issues.
• Review and prepare customer invoices, ensuring billing accuracy and commercial compliance.
• Coordinate with carriers, operations, procurement, and finance teams to resolve issues.
• Monitor allocation utilization and communicate capacity constraints or opportunities.
• Track and close customer cases within SLA targets.
• Contribute to customer service reporting and process improvement initiatives.
• Support maintenance and enhancement of customer service procedures and best practices.
• Escalate complex matters while ensuring excellent customer experience.

Skills

Customer service

Logistics

Problem solving

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Organization

Multitasking

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration/Logistics/International Trade

Tools

Salesforce

Zendesk

Excel

Outlook

Job description

Join Our Team

We are looking for a customer-focused and detail-oriented Ocean Freight Customer Service Specialist to join our growing team. This role is ideal for an experienced logistics or customer service professional who enjoys building strong customer relationships, resolving complex issues, and ensuring the smooth execution of ocean freight bookings and allocation management.As the primary point of contact for our customers, you will play a key role in managing allocations, handling booking-related inquiries, supporting billing processes, and maintaining exceptional service standards across our global freight operations.

What You'll Be Doing

• Serve as the main point of contact for customer inquiries regarding bookings, allocations, contract terms, and shipment updates
• Manage day-to-day freight allocation requests and coordinate capacity requirements with the procurement team
• Provide timely and accurate information on shipment status, allocation availability, and schedule changes
• Maintain accurate customer records and case documentation within CRM systems
• Handle customer disputes related to freight rates, surcharges, contracts, and service issues
• Review and prepare customer invoices, ensuring billing accuracy and commercial compliance
• Coordinate with carriers, operations, procurement, and finance teams to resolve customer and billing issues
• Monitor allocation utilization and proactively communicate capacity constraints or opportunities
• Track and close customer cases within agreed service-level targets
• Contribute to customer service reporting and process improvement initiatives
• Support the maintenance and enhancement of customer service procedures and best practices
• Escalate complex customer matters appropriately while ensuring excellent customer experience throughout the resolution process

Who We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience in ocean freight, freight forwarding, logistics, or customer service
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Logistics, International Trade, or a related field preferred
• Strong understanding of ocean freight operations, shipping documentation, carrier tariffs, and Incoterms
• Native-level German and fluent English communication skills
• Experience working with CRM platforms such as Salesforce, Zendesk, or similar systems
• Ability to read and interpret freight contracts, rate sheets, and customer agreements
• Strong commercial understanding of ocean freight billing and invoice validation
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, especially Outlook, Excel, and Word
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple customer cases and priorities simultaneously
• Customer service or logistics certifications (e.g., FIATA, IATA) are considered an advantage

Personal Attributes

• Customer-focused with a strong service mentality
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
• Professional and composed in challenging customer situations
• Highly organized and able to work effectively under pressure
• Collaborative team player with excellent communication skills
• Proactive, reliable, and solutions-oriented
• Adaptable within a dynamic and fast-paced logistics environment

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role will be measured through:

• High customer satisfaction levels
• Fast response times to customer inquiries
• Timely resolution of customer disputes and service issues
• Strong case closure performance within SLA targets
• Accurate customer communication and documentation
• High invoice accuracy and low rework rates
• Effective management of freight allocations and booking processes
• Contributions to customer service improvements and operational excellence initiatives

Why You Should Join Us

• Opportunity to work within a global ocean freight procurement organization
• Exposure to international shipping markets, carrier management, and freight allocation strategies
• Collaborative, entrepreneurial, and fast-growing business environment
• Direct impact on customer experience and operational performance
• Opportunity to work closely with procurement, operations, and finance teams
• Professional development and career growth opportunities
• Challenging and rewarding role with significant responsibility and customer interaction
• Modern workplace with an international team culture

If you are passionate about customer service, logistics, and building strong customer relationships in the ocean freight industry, we'd love to hear from you.