Delivery Exception Workflow

Why should we automate delivery exception handling instead of managing it manually over email?

Manual handling of delivery exceptions tends to rely on scattered emails and inconsistent follow-up, which makes it easy to lose track of open cases or delay customer updates. This workflow creates a single record per exception with a status and timeline, so the case owner, dispatch, and finance always know what stage it is at. Customers are automatically notified at key points, which reduces the number of status-check inquiries the team has to field.

What is the ROI of using this workflow compared to handling exceptions case by case?

The workflow reduces the time staff spend tracking down case status, chasing carrier updates, or manually drafting customer emails, since notifications and task assignments happen automatically at each step. It also creates a consistent record of carrier claim outcomes and cost recovered, which supports better decisions on carrier performance over time. Teams handling a moderate to high volume of exceptions are likely to see the most time savings from this structure.

Who is responsible for each step in the process?

The owner investigates the exception with the carrier and decides on the recovery action, then later records the carrier claim outcome and cost recovered. Depending on that decision, dispatch arranges redelivery or sends a replacement, or finance processes a refund. Each task is assigned to a workspace member and the workflow waits for it to be completed before moving forward.

What happens at the recovery decision step?

After the owner investigates with the carrier and records their findings, the workflow routes based on the Recovery Decision field they set: Redeliver, Replace, Refund, or otherwise. Each path triggers a different task — dispatch for redelivery or replacement, finance for a refund — and the customer receives an email specific to that outcome once the task is completed.

How does the customer stay informed without needing to log into anything?

Customers are notified by email at each key stage: when investigation begins, and again once redelivery, replacement, or refund is confirmed. They submit the initial exception details through a public request form and receive these updates directly by email, with no account or login required.

Can this workflow be adjusted for how our business handles exceptions?

Yes, a workspace can change the workflow by describing the desired change in plain English or editing the steps directly in the workflow editor. This allows teams to adjust task assignments, email content, or add steps as their exception-handling process evolves, and earlier versions of the workflow are kept for reference.

What information is captured for carrier claims and cost recovery?

The owner's investigation task records the Carrier Claim Reference, Findings, and Recovery Decision on the record. Once the recovery action is complete, a separate owner task with no due date captures the Carrier Claim Outcome and Cost Recovered, giving a documented history of how each claim was resolved financially.

How is the delivery exception submitted in the first place?

A delivery exception is captured through a request form asking for owner and customer details, order and tracking numbers, carrier, exception type, a description, and photos. Submitting the form creates the record and immediately sets its status to Investigating, starting the workflow.

How do we know the status of an exception at any point in time?

Each delivery exception record has a status — such as Investigating, Resolved, or Closed — along with a timeline of what has happened on the case. Table views and dashboards in the workspace show records by status, making it straightforward to see which cases are open, in recovery, or fully closed.

Does this workflow help with compliance or refund policy documentation?

The workflow records the statuses, task entries, and timeline for each delivery exception, including recovery decisions, refund amounts, and carrier claim outcomes. This creates a documented history a business can refer to, though each business should confirm its own compliance and record-keeping obligations separately.