Customers judge a distributor by one thing: did the right goods arrive when promised. Behind that simple test sits a chain of steps that often live on paper. An order is taken by phone, the store finds the items, a driver collects a bundle, a customer signs a delivery note that comes back days later, and accounts raises an invoice from whatever paperwork survived. Each gap produces short deliveries, disputes and slow collections. This guide describes a digital chain that closes those gaps.
1. Confirm and allocate
When an order is confirmed, the system checks credit and reserves stock, so two salespeople do not promise the same pallet. Items that are short are shown at once, with the options: partial delivery, substitute or wait. The customer hears this at order time, not on the doorstep. See quotation to cash for the stage before this one.
2. Pick
A pick list is sorted by warehouse location, so the picker walks one route instead of crisscrossing. With barcode scanning, each scan confirms the item and quantity, and wrong items are refused on the spot. Batch and expiry dates are captured for products that need them.
3. Pack and check
| Check | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Second-person or scan check | Catches picking errors before the vehicle leaves |
| Carton and weight record | Supports freight billing and claims |
| Labels | Customer, address, order number and carton count on every package |
| Temperature or fragile flags | Special handling is visible to the driver |
4. Dispatch and route
Orders are grouped by area and vehicle capacity. The driver receives the route on a phone with addresses, contact numbers, delivery windows and the amount to collect, if any. Dispatch stamps the time and the load, so you can see what is on each vehicle at any moment.
5. Proof of delivery
At the door, the driver confirms items against the order, records shortages or damage with a photo, and takes the customer's signature on the screen. The system sends the customer a copy, and the record is attached to the order immediately. No paper has to travel back, and disputes are resolved from evidence in minutes.
6. Returns and invoicing
Rejected or damaged goods return with a reason code and are received back into stock or into a quarantine location. The invoice is generated from what was actually delivered, so the customer is billed for what they received, and any credit note is linked to the original. Payment follows the process in credit control.
For distributors with salesmen on the road see van sales software. Share your delivery routine and we will map it.