A courier hands over four boxes. The order was for five. The person at the desk is in the middle of a call, signs the screen with a finger and carries the boxes into the storeroom. Two weeks later someone needs the fifth item, and the supplier says: you signed for it complete.
Small companies lose money here quietly. The supplier rarely cheats; the problem is that nobody owned the moment when the goods changed hands. This article describes a short routine that takes about five minutes per delivery.
One person receives, one person covers
Decide who is allowed to sign for deliveries. Usually this is whoever is in the office most days, with one named deputy for holidays and sick days. Everyone else says: "Please wait, I will get the person who signs." That sentence is the whole rule, and it is worth writing on a card near the door.
The person who signs does not need to be the one who ordered. But they need access to the order, so they can compare what arrived with what was expected. A shared order list or a folder with the confirmed orders is enough. If you do not yet confirm orders in writing, start there; the delivery check is only as good as the order it is checked against.
The check at the door
Do these three checks while the driver is still there.
- The outside. Look at the packaging. Crushed corners, wet patches, torn tape or a box that is open all mean the contents may be damaged. Say so at once.
- The count. Count the parcels or pallets against the delivery slip. You do not have to open everything at the door, but you must agree the number of units.
- The paperwork. Check that the slip names your company, the right address and, if you gave one, your order number. A delivery meant for another company happens more often than people think.
If something is wrong, write it on the slip or the courier's screen in plain words: "2 of 5 boxes received", "box 3 crushed, contents not checked". Take one photo of the box and one of the slip. A signature with a written remark protects you; a clean signature gives it away.
Opening it within a day
The check at the door covers the outside. The inside needs a second look, ideally the same day and no later than the next working day. Open the boxes, compare the contents with the order line by line, and look for damage, wrong variants and missing parts.
Many suppliers and carriers only accept a complaint about hidden damage within a short window. Look this up in your supplier's terms once, and write the shortest deadline on the card by the door. If you do not know the deadline, assume two working days.
For goods that you keep in stock, put them into the count at this step. A simple stock count and reorder routine works better when every delivery is booked in on the day it arrives.
The delivery log
Keep one log for all deliveries. A shared spreadsheet is fine. Each line has:
- the date and the supplier,
- the order number,
- complete, partly delivered or damaged,
- who received it,
- a link to the photo if there was a problem.
The log takes under a minute to fill in, and it answers the questions that otherwise cost an hour: did this arrive, when, and who took it? It also gives you the evidence for a supplier review. If one supplier has three problems in six months, that is a fact you can use in a yearly supplier review.
When something is wrong
Report it to the supplier on the same day, in writing. Keep the message short:
- order number and delivery date,
- what is wrong: missing, damaged, wrong item,
- the photo and the slip with your remark,
- what you want: a replacement, a credit note or a pickup.
Do not throw away damaged packaging until the case is closed; the carrier may want to inspect it. If the goods are needed urgently, say that in the first line and ask for a date by which the supplier will answer.
If the problem needs a decision, for example accepting a partial delivery or paying for a faster replacement, the person who ordered decides. The person at the door only records and reports.
What to avoid
- Signing on a handheld screen without reading. Ask the driver to wait a minute. A courier who is in a hurry is still obliged to let you count.
- Leaving parcels unopened for weeks. The time limit for complaints runs from the delivery, not from the day you open the box.
- Verbal complaints only. A phone call is a good start, but the written message is what you will point to later.
- Mixing receiving with paying. Pay the invoice only after the delivery is logged as complete. This one habit prevents most double payments and payments for goods that never came.
A simple start
- Name the person who signs and a deputy; put the rule on a card near the door.
- Create the delivery log with the five columns above.
- For the next month, do the three checks at the door on every delivery.
- At the end of the month, count how many deliveries had a problem and how many were reported the same day.
- Share the result with the person who orders, and agree on one change.
Sources
- UK Government, "Consumer Contracts Regulations and delivery of goods": https://www.gov.uk/
- European Commission, "Your rights when buying goods and services": https://commission.europa.eu/