Customers keep asking where their goods are

A gap in the day-to-day record can be easy to miss. No dispatch update is sent, so customers call repeatedly. The risk grows when teams use different versions of what was agreed.

What it looks like

• The dispatch coordinator has to search the dispatch plan and gate register before answering a routine question.
• No dispatch update is sent, so customers call repeatedly.
• Staff cannot locate the invoice, packing list, transporter LR or delivery proof for the latest case.
• People spot the gap after a customer cannot verify what was sent or when.
• The open case has no documented owner, due date or proof of closure.

Why it happens

The specific failure is left unchecked. No dispatch update is sent, so customers call repeatedly. If there is no recorded owner for that condition, the effect travels to the next team.

The work and its evidence move separately. Finished stock, packing readiness, billing and transport booking have separate owners and cut-off times.

A later hand-off exposes the gap. An internal ready status may refer to production completion only and omit paperwork, inspection or vehicle readiness.

The less obvious cause: A control may exist on paper but still fail in practice. Test whether someone actually performs this check: check whether LR, vehicle number and dispatch quantity are recorded centrally.

Find the first failed hand-off before changing staff targets. A completed register alone cannot prove that physical work happened.

What to check first

1. Take five customer tracking calls and find the last update sent. Compare dates, quantities and references. Mark an unconfirmed difference as unverified. Finish the first pass in under 30 minutes and name the missing source if needed.
2. Check whether LR, vehicle number and dispatch quantity are recorded centrally. Record the affected item or party and the person who can verify the detail. Finish the first pass in under 30 minutes and name the missing source if needed.
3. Identify split deliveries that customers cannot see. Mark each exception open, waiting for evidence or resolved, with a named next owner. Finish the first pass in under 30 minutes and name the missing source if needed.

How to fix it

1. Start with one live case. Take five customer tracking calls and find the last update sent. Keep the source reference before changing the record.
2. Make the control explicit. Send one verified dispatch update with consignment details. Put the rule in the register or sheet that staff already use.
3. Set a second guardrail. Maintain a single enquiry owner for delivery exceptions. Match customer, item, quantity, invoice and physical cartons before releasing a vehicle. Do not bypass statutory documents.
4. Assign the next decision. The dispatch coordinator records the action and its due date. A separately authorised person signs off changes affecting money, safety or customer terms.
5. Review the open list. Start with items affecting today or tomorrow. Keep third-party commitments separate from completed actions.
6. Check whether the rule holds. For four weeks, count loads held after readiness or delivery balances not acknowledged. Reopen repeat cases and identify where the control failed.

Copy this dispatch readiness and exception sheet into a register or sheet:

Retain the source reference and limit access to authorised staff.

A worked example

Illustrative example only. A buyer calls six times for a ₹1,10,000 order because nobody shares the transporter LR. Start by locating the source that would verify these amounts or quantities. The dispatch coordinator records the exact exception, gives it an owner and checks the next relevant event. This example shows how to structure the decision. It does not claim that a business achieved a saving or avoided a loss.

How you know it is fixed

• Completeness: Count loads held after readiness or delivery balances not acknowledged at the same time every week. Record the count and the oldest item, rather than just saying things are better.
• Timeliness: Check whether the assigned person took the next action before the agreed cut-off. Keep missed dates visible instead of replacing them silently.
• Proof of closure: Sample three closed cases and locate the invoice, packing list, transporter LR or delivery proof. A tick without supporting evidence is still an open control gap.

When it is more serious

Lost or temperature-sensitive cargo needs rapid escalation. Hold irreversible decisions until the material facts are verified. For contracts, tax, wages or legal rights, retain source documents and consult a qualified adviser. Repeated exceptions after four reviews may require changing the control.

This works if someone does it every day. In most businesses, that someone is you.

Questions people ask

What should we check before taking action?

Take five customer tracking calls and find the last update sent. Keep its date and reference. Then compare it with the invoice, packing list, transporter LR or delivery proof; if they disagree, record the difference before changing either one.

Who should own the next action?

The dispatch coordinator should own the open item. The person authorised to change money, a technical standard or a customer commitment must still approve that decision.

Can we run this control without new software?

No. Start with a shared sheet or register containing the reference, owner, promised date, status and evidence. Once those fields are reliable, decide whether a system connection is worth setting up.

When is the issue serious enough to escalate?

Lost or temperature-sensitive cargo needs rapid escalation. Keep supporting records and get specialist help where relevant.