Turning a recurring service gap into a $3M+ account expansion.

While supporting enterprise consumer-products accounts at Hub Group, I noticed that Ocean Spray repeatedly requested spot freight coverage on the same transportation lane. Those urgent requests arose when another provider could not meet commitments, making capacity harder to secure and service less predictable.

I raised the pattern with my manager and suggested that we stop treating it as a series of isolated spot orders. The repeated need pointed to an opportunity for a more structured, dependable transportation solution—and a stronger account relationship.

My manager involved the VP of Consumer Products Solutions and the broader commercial team. Together with pricing and network optimization colleagues, the team assembled supporting data, identified a suitable carrier in the area and developed a solution to present to Ocean Spray.

Following a short trial, the cross-functional team secured ongoing volume on the lane. I had identified the recurring need, escalated the opportunity and helped build the customer confidence that supported the expansion.

Winning additional business was only the beginning. I was the central communication link between Ocean Spray, shipping and receiving facilities, and our internal carrier team. I scheduled shipments with as much lead time as possible so carriers could secure capacity and execute reliably.

I provided shipment-status updates, coordinated appointment changes and tracked rail movements on intermodal routes to plan final deliveries. This day-to-day execution helped us manage the increased freight volume and reinforce the customer's confidence in our ability to support growth.

The resulting award represented $3M+ in additional annual business awarded, representing 71%+ growth in awarded business and 2,500+ additional loads per year awarded. These figures describe the confirmed award, rather than revenue collected or loads already transported. The VP described the award as the team’s largest single award in five years.

The expansion was secured through a broader commercial and operations effort, building on service delivery that had already helped establish trust with the customer.

Account management is not only about maintaining relationships. It is about recognizing where a customer needs a better solution, bringing the right people together and making that solution operationally credible.