To arrange a contactless order handover, agree on a specific plan with the customer before the courier sets off. Decide where to leave the parcel, when the customer can collect it, and how they will confirm receipt. Do not leave goods somewhere the customer has not agreed to.
Assign a staff member to oversee the order until the handover is complete. Ask them to pass the arrangements to the courier, notify the customer, and find out what happened if an attempt fails. Record the dispatch of the goods separately from the customer’s message confirming receipt.
Choose delivery to an address or pickup
With local delivery, the store delivers the order to the customer’s address within a defined area. With pickup, the customer collects the order from the store. Choose the method for which you can arrange an agreed handover.
| What to decide | Delivery to an address | Pickup |
|---|---|---|
| Collection place | Confirm the address and the specific place for the parcel. | Mark the collection point near the store. |
| Time | Agree on a time window when the customer can collect the order. | Agree on the arrival time and when the order will be ready. |
| Work arrangements | Define the delivery area and assign a person to carry it out. | Assign a staff member to hand over the order. |
| Store costs | Estimate travel and courier costs. | Estimate staff time for preparation and handover. |
For pickup, explain in advance what the customer should do after arriving: where to go, how to notify a staff member, and where to collect the parcel. Check that the instructions are clear without needing further explanation on site.
Record the arrangements before handover
Suggest a place where the parcel will stay in clean, dry conditions. Check whether the courier will be able to access it. If the customer needs to be at home, agree on a time window that works for them.
Add the arrangements to the order’s work record. Do not rely on a verbal message that staff will have to pass along to one another.
- Specify the collection method and exact handover place.
- Record the agreed time and any necessary access instructions.
- Decide who will notify the customer before arrival.
- Agree on the channel for notifying the customer that the parcel has been left and for their reply confirming receipt.
- Give the courier instructions for when the place is inaccessible or unsuitable.
Seal the parcel and check the label
The staff member packing the order should seal the parcel with packing tape and attach the label securely. The address must remain visible. Before handing the parcel to the courier, check it against the order and the agreed delivery place.
For goods with special storage requirements, prepare separate packing and transport instructions. General advice to seal a parcel with tape does not cover temperature or other requirements specific to the product.
Notify the customer of arrival and confirm receipt
Plan two messages: one before the expected handover and one after the parcel has been left. In the first, remind the customer of the agreed place and time. In the second, say exactly where the order was left and ask the customer to reply after collecting it.
In the work record, distinguish the courier’s “parcel left” message from the customer’s “order received” reply. If you use a photo of the handover place, confirm receipt with the customer separately.
An illustrative order handover
Suppose a customer orders a set of notebooks and agrees to a handover between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. They ask for the sealed parcel to be left on a dry shelf in the lobby and for a message to be sent on arrival. The staff member records these arrangements and passes them to the courier.
The courier arrives, notifies the customer, and leaves the parcel at the agreed place. The staff member records that the handover was made, then records receipt after the customer replies. If the lobby entrance is locked, the courier notifies the staff member and does not choose another place independently. The staff member contacts the customer to agree on a new arrangement.
Set a procedure for an unsuccessful handover
If the location cannot be accessed or the agreed conditions cannot be met, ask the courier to record the reason. A store staff member should contact the customer and agree on another delivery or pickup.
Record the new collection method, place, and time. The owner should set an internal procedure for waiting and contacting the customer, and agree on a workable procedure separately with any carrier involved. Do not mark an unsuccessful attempt as a completed handover.
Track the dispatch status of goods on invoices in Torgsoft
To prepare a handover, find invoices for which the goods have not yet been dispatched or have been dispatched only in part. In Torgsoft, the «Стан відвантаження» filter (Shipment status) lets you select the statuses «Не відвантажено» (Not shipped), «Частково відвантажено» (Partially shipped), and «Повністю відвантажено» (Fully shipped).
Use this filter to identify invoices that need further processing. For an invoice with goods that have been partially dispatched, check which part of the order still needs to be handed over. Agree on next steps with the customer and pass the up-to-date arrangements to staff.
After an invoice is created, an online order in Torgsoft gets the status «Задоволено» (Fulfilled). This status means that an invoice has been created. The dispatch status of the goods also does not confirm that the customer has received them. Check the handover outcome separately to complete the agreed process.
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