"Something's missing..."

[jim_p]

This has happened to us a few times now, especially with digital imaging: a customer picks up a multi-part order, then later we get a call saying that something is missing (either the original, or part of the print order). Sometimes we just KNOW that we gave them everything... and sure enough in every case SO FAR the customer called back sometime later and in a sheepish voice admit that the "missing" item did indeed turn up.

Today we got a call from one of our A-list designer customers asking about a framed piece that was missing from her last pickup. Turns out we DID have it; we were juggling so many pieces on that pickup that this one fell off the end...

So here's the question: does anybody have a system for identifying and acknowledging just what the customer left the shop with? Do you use claim checks or pickup slips or something like that? So far everything has turned out, but all it takes is one to give you a bad day...

 

[wpfay]

On larger orders we have a list of pieces and the person picking up is required to verify and sign off on the list. Doesn't stop human error though. Had a pick up last week that was for 32 pieces. Had the person picking up and my employee both count the pieces before the guy took off. They both counted 32. He was gone about a half hour when I saw one of the pieces he was supposed to take sitting on the gallery floor.
I was able to get the last piece to him without too much difficulty since he is in town and wasn't leaving for the installation for another couple hours. If I hadn't cought it in time, I would have spent a Friday on the road delivering it myself.
Where we went wrong is that he had picked up an additional piece that was already framed and it got counted in the total. Should have been 33 pieces.