Customers keep asking where their order is
Common situation · Production & OperationsA situation we are often asked to help with. Many owners live with it for years because it feels like part of running a business. If it sounds like yours, here is what is usually behind it and how we fix it.
What you might be noticing
- •Answering means walking to the floor or phoning a supervisor.
- •Delays are discovered by the customer first.
- •Instructions change as a job passes between shifts.
What is usually going on underneath
Jobs are not tracked as they move, so the status exists only in people’s heads.
How we fix it
1
Give every job a work order
Each job carries written instructions from start to finish.
2
Record each step as it happens
Job cards capture progress without interrupting the people doing the work.
3
Make status visible
Anyone who needs to answer a customer can see where the order is.