Team Behind the Tech: Ryan Callahan

Welcome to Team Behind the Tech, where we chat with the team members who work closely with customers to help them be successful with Descartes’ routing, mobile, and telematics solutions. Learn about their professional experiences and gain insights into how their work contributes to the growth and efficiency of our customers’ operations and how they play an integral role in our business.

First, we kick things off with Ryan Callahan, a long-time member of the sales team. Ryan came to Descartes with 16 years of experience in the logistics software industry. He arrived through the acquisition of Airclic, a company that focused on mobile applications. A focus for Ryan is mobile proof of delivery, particularly for the food service industry.

Recently, Ryan has been excited to see how Descartes’ expanded footprint helps customers throughout the entire delivery process, from strategic and operational planning to dispatch and tracking combined with mobile apps for full delivery visibility and automation of the commercial process.

Get to know Ryan better in this Q&A and how he works to help businesses transform their fleet performance with our comprehensive solutions.

Ryan Callahan

Senior Sales Executive
16 years of service


"My focus lies in mobile proof of delivery, especially for the food service industry. Mobile apps enhance driver productivity and streamline billing amid complex orders and returns. I'm thrilled to witness our expanded footprint benefiting customers across the delivery process, offering strategic planning, operational efficiency, dispatch, tracking, and mobile app integration for comprehensive delivery visibility and streamlined commercial processes."

A typical day involves advocating for existing Descartes customers by educating them on new features and functionalities to maximize the value of our routing, mobile, and telematics solutions. Additionally, I engage with potential clients to demonstrate how our solutions can enhance the performance of their final mile distribution networks. 

Collaboration with cross-functional teams is crucial. I work with teams such as professional services during project kick-offs and customer implementations, and I collaborate with product management to identify beneficial enhancements. I maintain involvement post-go-live to ensure ongoing customer satisfaction, facilitating interactions with our support organization to address their needs effectively.

One of the main challenges is the driver shortage. Descartes helps companies optimize their route planning, enabling them to perform more deliveries with the same or fewer drivers. Our solutions help to improve driver productivity, reduce stress, and enhance retention through feasible routes, advanced navigation, safety training, and automation.  

Descartes distinguishes itself with a customer-centric culture that permeates every department. There is a strong sense of collaboration and support across the organization, from support personnel to the executive team, all focused on delivering value to the customer.

An essential lesson is to always keep the customer’s goals at the forefront. Listening and asking questions rather than dictating solutions helps build a deeper understanding of their business, fosters trust, and allows us to offer solutions that help solve their unique challenges. 

It’s got to be helping educate current or potential customers about how Descartes can help them unlock value and achieve their goals. At the end of the day, seeing customers happy and continuously benefiting from our solutions and the teams that support them is incredibly fulfilling.  

Connect with Ryan: Interested in reaching out to Ryan about your logistical challenges or just want to get to know him better? Connect with him on LinkedIn.