Building a Lasting Partnership with a Logistics Client Through Challenges and Growth

Getting Started

For those who don’t know me, I’m Andrii Ryzhokhin, CEO of Ardas, a SaaS development and go-to-market company. One of our largest long-term clients is the leading marketplace for carriers in the UK, a high-load SaaS platform for freight transport—a bit like Uber, but for cargo. And we’ve been working together for over 17 years now.

Our client’s platform, trusted by over 7,000 businesses since 2000, processes more than 170,000 loads monthly and manages a fleet of over 50,000 vehicles. It facilitates transportation contracts worth over ￡190M annually. The platform handles the full cycle from posting loads to final delivery, streamlining operations for companies and individuals in the transportation sector.

Our collaboration began back in 2007 when sales processes were less competitive and polished than they are today. We focused more on technical work than on the art of presentation. The CTO, with whom we had worked on another project, recommended us to the company owner.

Happy stakeholders are your best source of future recommendations. The quality of your work and the value you deliver will determine your next contract. While you can't satisfy everyone, ensuring the owner and CTO are happy is crucial.

Help them reach their goals. If the CEO is focused on growth, figure out how to support that. If the CTO wants to implement cutting-edge technologies, find a way to integrate them in a business-beneficial manner. When your client is satisfied, they’ll turn to you for future needs or recommend you to others.

First Steps

In 2007, we started with two developers, and the platform was based on PHP. Our goal was to elevate the project technologically, so we shifted to Google Web Toolkit (GWT), a solid choice back then, backed by Google.

However, while technology advanced, our communication with the client didn’t. The CEO wasn’t interested in the tech details—he cared about business outcomes. We didn’t know how to explain the value of upgrading to new frameworks or improving the codebase. Eventually, we stopped pushing for changes and focused on maintaining the project as is. Moving to GWT didn't solve everything; eventually, that technology became outdated.

How We Nearly Lost Our Biggest Client

After a decade of work, we faced a crisis. Our focus had shifted to other products, and we weren’t giving the client enough attention. Around this time, a new CTO joined the client’s team and saw the need for technological growth. Not seeing our initiative, the CTO reached out to other Ukrainian companies and selected another vendor for a new sub-project.

That was a wake-up call. We realized we had made a crucial mistake with our biggest client. I personally got involved, flew to the UK, and spent time with the CTO and top managers to rebuild the relationship. In 2019, I dedicated almost half of my time to this account.

Turning It Around

By the end of 2019, we had regained the client’s trust. We renegotiated the financial terms, raised our rates by 10%, and added a 2% annual increase to the contract. In 2020, the client fully transferred the project back to us, cutting ties with the other vendor.

Today, we have seven teams on this project, growing from two developers to nearly 40 people. Technically, we operate in an outstaffing model, but since the client’s CTO prefers to focus on outcomes rather than day-to-day management, it feels more like classic outsourcing.

In 2021, the platform we developed processed about 10,000 shipments per week.

Read more about this project

Mastering Client Communication

With the new CTO, communication has become much easier. He sees how technology drives business outcomes, so our discussions now revolve around solutions, not just costs. We have a champion for technological change on the client’s side.

In 2019, the CTO visited us every 3–4 months, and we made time for informal dinners and chats. These casual meetings helped build trust and strengthened our working relationship.

At the start, our biggest mistake was thinking that delivering high-quality technical work would be enough. We didn’t prioritize building relationships—a critical error. On the flip side, casual conversations without meaningful business engagement don’t count either. You need to discuss business and communicate your value clearly during those interactions.

Staying connected to the business owner is key. Meet at least once a year, grab lunch, speak their language, understand their plans, and get high-level feedback. Your personal involvement will strengthen the relationship.

Like most, our CEO is always juggling multiple responsibilities. He’s an entrepreneur through and through—excited one minute but quick to move on if he doesn’t see immediate progress. We keep him engaged by consistently delivering value or MVPs, and showing clear results and insights.

How We Handle Client Accounts for Long-Term Success at Ardas

Initially, we didn’t have a structured account management system. Our interactions with clients were sporadic, and only the project teams and managers communicated regularly. Quarterly meetings didn’t provide a full understanding of what was happening on the client’s side or if we were still aligned.

Now, I handle most of the account management myself:

• Weekly calls with the CTO
• Quarterly calls with the CEO
• In-person meetings twice a year

Our teams communicate with the client daily. The account has grown on both sides with the addition of new salespeople, product managers, and more.

We assign account managers to all of our projects. They build long-term relationships and develop the account, working closely with architects and business analysts to ensure alignment between technical and business goals.

Growing an account is one way to increase revenue, but it’s not the only one. Every company needs a tailored strategy to achieve its business goals.

Final key takeaways for tech founders

• Prioritize relationship-building. Don’t rely on technical expertise alone—strong relationships with key stakeholders are critical to long-term success.
• Understand client goals. Know if they’re focused on business growth or technology adoption, and tailor your approach accordingly.
• Regular communication is essential. Weekly or quarterly check-ins, combined with in-person meetings, help maintain alignment and trust.
• Provide clear value. Keep clients engaged by consistently delivering value, whether through MVPs or business outcomes.
• Have dedicated account management. Assign someone to manage the client relationship and ensure alignment between business and technical goals.