Key takeaways
- Dispatch starts with a complete job record, not an empty calendar slot
- Confirm scope, access, resources, timing, and customer communication before move day
- Use one owner for each exception and document the decision where the whole team can find it
- Close jobs with actual hours, notes, signatures, payment status, and follow-up tasks
Dispatch is the handoff between what was sold and what the crew must execute. A good checklist protects the customer promise without pretending that every move will go exactly to plan. Use it as a repeatable control for people, vehicles, information, and exceptions.
Before the schedule is published
Dispatch board fields that matter
| Field | Why it matters | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Shows what action is next | Every job is labeled “scheduled” even when unassigned |
| Crew and truck | Makes capacity and responsibility visible | A job relies on a verbal assignment |
| Time window | Sets the customer's expectation | Window is tighter than travel or building rules allow |
| Access notes | Prevents avoidable day-of surprises | Notes are buried in a separate inbox |
| Scope version | Connects the crew to the current promise | Crew has an older estimate or inventory |
| Exception owner | Turns a problem into a decision | Everyone assumes someone else called the customer |
The final-day confirmation
The day-before review should be a short comparison between the scheduled record and reality. Reconfirm the address, contact, scope changes, building access, arrival window, crew and truck, and any balance or signature step. Send a clear customer reminder with what to prepare and how to report a change.
Dispatcher's final call sheet
- Read the job scope and access notes, then compare them with the latest customer reply.
- Confirm crew, truck, equipment, and travel plan.
- Check the customer-facing time window and the internal arrival target.
- Identify the one issue most likely to cause a delay or rework.
- Assign an owner and a documented next action for that issue.
Define status by evidence, not color
| Status | Use it when | Do not use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled | Date, scope, customer, and required resources are ready for dispatch | The job is only a tentative hold |
| In progress | The crew has started the documented job workflow | A truck is merely driving to the first stop |
| Completed | Service and required closeout steps are recorded | Payment, signatures, or an open exception still block closure |
| Canceled | The agreed cancellation decision and customer communication are recorded | The job was simply moved to another date |
The accountable handoff
Sales
Current scope, promise, contact, written estimate
Dispatch
Resources, route, time window, exception owner
Crew
Actual work, timestamps, notes, signatures
Billing
Approved charges, payments, balance, follow-up
During the move: manage exceptions visibly
| Exception | Immediate action | Record before closing the day |
|---|---|---|
| Customer unavailable | Call, document attempts, and follow the rescheduling policy | Contact times, decision, and new appointment |
| Access is different | Pause unsafe work and confirm scope or authorization | Photos or notes, approved change, customer communication |
| Crew or truck issue | Reassign only after checking travel and capacity | New assignment, arrival estimate, and customer update |
| Scope expands | Describe the added work and price path before proceeding | Written approval or reason it could not be completed |
| Damage or complaint | Protect the item and escalate through the claims process | Factual description, photos, people notified |
End-of-day closeout
Reelow's dispatchingworkflow is designed to keep crew and truck assignments visible alongside job status. Pair it with job trackingand mobile accessfor field updates, then carry the result into a cleaner closeout path. The booking workflowand dispatch software overviewshow how that handoff starts before move day.