Delivery Exception Guide
A one-page guide helps drivers and dispatchers distinguish unsuccessful deliveries from disputed ones, record observable facts, and route each case to the role authorized to decide next steps.
Every employee gets a seat — priced per employee in Communications & Intranet, quoted with this template ready.
Rolled out to every employee at AutoZone (125,000), PetSmart (50,000+), A.S. Watson and Raley's (20,000) — and at larger retailers we are not permitted to name.
Built for: Parcel and courier services · Third-party logistics and freight · Retail and e-commerce delivery operations · Business-to-business distribution
Overview
The Delivery Exception Guide is a one-page procedure for drivers and dispatchers handling a delivery that did not follow its planned outcome. Its central question is whether the parcel could not be delivered or whether the delivery was recorded as complete and is now disputed. A comparison table makes the distinction operational: unsuccessful deliveries stay open and go to dispatch; disputed deliveries retain their existing record and go to a designated support or claims decision-maker.
The page also defines terms such as delivery reference and authorized decision, gives three worked examples, and sets evidence boundaries. Staff are told to separate direct observations from statements reported by others, avoid conclusions about fault, preserve earlier records, and avoid sharing unnecessary sensitive details. A five-step handoff covers classification, priority procedures, factual notes, approved contact routes, and waiting for the decision-maker. FAQs address uncertainty, conflicting accounts, unavailable contact routes, customer expectations, and corrections.
Use this template as a shared reference for delivery operations where roles need a consistent way to route failed attempts and recipient disputes. Before publishing, replace the fictional Northstar Parcel context with confirmed role names, local contact routes, and references to applicable depot procedures. The guide does not set redelivery, return, refund, or claims policy, and it does not create or update delivery-system records. Do not use it as the governing procedure for regulated goods, safety-critical events, or sensitive cases; those situations must follow the approved local process first.
Standards & compliance context
- Treat the guide as a routing aid, not as a substitute for applicable local procedures governing regulated goods, safety-critical situations, sensitive information, or evidence handling.
- Limit notes to information needed for the case and use approved channels; the template explicitly cautions against placing unnecessary sensitive details in free-text notes or unapproved chats.
- Preserve existing delivery records rather than editing, deleting, or overwriting them to fit a later account; confirm record-retention requirements with the organization's approved procedure.
- Keep the guide accessible to its intended driver and dispatcher audience with clear headings, readable table content, and an accessible page structure aligned with WCAG 2.1 AA.
General regulatory context for orientation only — verify current requirements with counsel or the relevant agency before relying on this template for compliance.
What's inside this template
Delivery didn't go to plan? Start with one question
Classify the case by comparing what happened at the delivery point with what the delivery record says.
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For drivers and dispatchers at Northstar Parcel, a fictional delivery network used as the example setting here Ask first: did the parcel reach the customer, or is someone disputing that it did? If the delivery could not be completed (nobody to receive it, receiving point closed, access blocked), it is an unsuccessful delivery . Dispatch decides what happens next. If the delivery was recorded as completed but the recipient says it was not received or not as expected, it is a disputed delivery . A support or claims decision-maker decides what happens next. This guide organizes the handoff. It does not change the approved local procedures that govern regulated goods, safety-critical situations or sensitive information. Where they apply, they come first. Terms used here. Exception : any delivery that does not follow the planned outcome. Delivery reference : the job or parcel number shown on your handheld or manifest. Authorized decision : a decision your role is not permitted to make on its own, such as redelivery, return to depot or claim handling. Owner: Transport and Distribution Operations. Send corrections through your depot supervisor.
Unsuccessful or disputed: what changes
Compare status handling, evidence to record, contact route, and decision authority before handing the case off.
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Read across a row to compare the two paths. What you see Delivery could not be completed: no one to receive it, receiving point closed, or access blocked. Record says delivered; the recipient says it was not received or not as expected. Typical examples Recipient unavailable; location or access mismatch (wrong gate, locked loading bay, address does not match). 'I never got it'; 'it is the wrong item count'; 'it was left somewhere I did not agree to'. Delivery status Keep it open. Do not mark it delivered. Leave the existing record as it is. Do not edit or reverse it. Record Delivery reference, time, location, and what you observed at the receiving point. Delivery reference, what the recipient said (as a reported statement), and what you can confirm from your own record. Contact next Dispatcher on duty, by the approved dispatch channel. Designated support or claims decision-maker, via dispatch or the approved support channel. Who decides the outcome Dispatch, or the supervisor it names. The support or claims decision-maker, never the driver or dispatcher alone.
Three worked examples
See how the same handoff principles apply to a closed receiving point, a recipient dispute, and an access problem.
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Same parcel network, different handoffs. Receiving point closed (unsuccessful) A driver arrives at a business's goods-in door at 16:40. The shutter is down and a sign shows opening hours ending at 16:00. The driver records the delivery reference, arrival time, location and the sign as an observation, leaves the job open, and contacts the dispatcher on duty. Dispatch then decides whether to reattempt, hold at depot or contact the sender. The driver does not mark the parcel delivered. Delivered, but the recipient disagrees (disputed) Two days later a recipient contacts support to say a parcel marked delivered never arrived. The dispatcher records the delivery reference, the time the job was closed and the driver's own record, and notes the recipient's claim as a reported statement. The case goes to the designated support or claims decision-maker. Nobody assumes the parcel was lost, or that the recipient is mistaken, until that role decides. Gate code does not work (location or access mismatch) A driver reaches a site where the code on the job does not open the gate and no one answers the intercom. The driver records the delivery reference, time, which gate was tried and the code as it appeared on the job, then contacts dispatch. Dispatch decides whether to correct the access details, contact the customer or reschedule.
Evidence boundaries
Keep notes factual, distinguish observation from reported statements, and use only approved channels for necessary information.
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Record what you can see and verify, through approved channels only Do record The delivery reference and the time and place of the attempt. What you directly observed: 'Shutter down, sign shows closing at 16:00.' What others told you, labelled as reported: 'Passer-by said the office closed early.' Which route you used to contact dispatch or support, and when. Do not Draw conclusions about fault, intent or what the recipient 'must have' done. Collect or share personal or sensitive details that the case does not need, or put them in free-text notes or chats outside approved channels. Edit, delete or overwrite an earlier delivery record to match a later account. Promise the customer a redelivery, refund or claim outcome. Those are authorized decisions. If your depot's approved local rules on evidence handling differ from this summary, follow them and tell your supervisor so the guide can be corrected.
The handoff in five steps
Follow this sequence from classification through escalation, and leave the outcome to the authorized decision-maker.
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The same sequence for every exception; only the contact route and decision-maker differ. Classify the exception Use the table above: unsuccessful (could not be completed) or disputed (recorded as completed but challenged). If unsure, state what you observed and what the record shows, leave the delivery status unchanged, and ask the dispatcher on duty to classify the exception. Check for a priority procedure If regulated goods, a safety concern or sensitive information is involved, stop and follow the approved local procedure and its named contact first. Record the permitted facts Delivery reference, time, location, direct observations, and reported statements labelled as such. Route through the approved channel Contact the dispatcher on duty for an unsuccessful delivery, or the designated support or claims route for a disputed one. State the classification in your first sentence. Wait for the authorized decision Do not change the delivery outcome, close the job or tell the customer the result until the decision-maker has told you what to do.
Common questions
Use these answers when classification, contact availability, customer expectations, or local procedures are unclear.
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I can't tell which category applies. What now? Say what you observed and what the record shows, state that you are unsure, and route to the dispatcher on duty. Dispatch can reclassify. A wrong guess that changes the delivery status is harder to undo than an honest 'unsure'. The system and the recipient disagree. Which one is right? Neither is treated as settled at your level. Keep the existing record unchanged, note the recipient's statement as reported, and pass both to the support or claims decision-maker. My usual contact route is unavailable. Who do I call? Use the backup route your depot has approved. If there is none, contact your depot supervisor. Note the time you tried the first route and who you reached instead. May I tell the customer what will happen next? Only describe what you did and that the case has been passed on. Redelivery, return, refund and claim outcomes belong to the authorized decision-maker. The case involves something sensitive or possibly regulated. Does this guide still apply? Only as a handoff outline. Approved local procedures for regulated, safety-critical or sensitive situations take priority. Contact the role named in them, or your supervisor if you are unsure who that is. I think this guide is out of date or wrong for my depot. Who do I tell? Tell your depot supervisor, who passes corrections to Transport and Distribution Operations, the owner of this guide.
How to use this template
- Replace the fictional Northstar Parcel example with your confirmed organization name, role titles, and depot-approved dispatch, support, claims, and backup contact routes.
- Ask Transport and Distribution Operations or the designated local content owner to verify which procedures take priority for regulated goods, safety concerns, sensitive information, and evidence handling.
- Share the guide with drivers and dispatchers and explain that an unsuccessful delivery means the parcel could not be delivered, while a disputed delivery challenges a record marked complete.
- For each exception, classify the case, leave the delivery status unchanged, record the reference, time, location, observations, and clearly labelled reported statements, then contact the appropriate role through an approved channel.
- Wait for the authorized decision-maker before changing the delivery outcome, closing the job, or promising the customer what will happen next.
- Route suspected errors or local mismatches to the depot supervisor, and have the guide owner review the page when contacts, procedures, or role responsibilities change.
Best practices
- Keep the distinction between unsuccessful and disputed deliveries visible near the top of the page so staff can classify before recording or routing a case.
- Preserve the existing delivery status and record until the authorized role decides what action is permitted.
- Write direct observations separately from statements supplied by recipients or bystanders, and label reported statements as reported.
- Record the delivery reference, time, location, and the specific access point or receiving condition relevant to the exception.
- Publish the actual depot-approved contact and backup routes before rollout; a generic instruction to contact support is not enough for a live handoff.
- Keep local procedures for regulated goods, safety-critical situations, and sensitive information authoritative, and make their priority clear to readers.
- Assign a role to own corrections and review the page when routing channels, decision authority, or evidence rules change.
- Use the worked examples to train staff on the boundary between documenting facts and making an unauthorized delivery or claims decision.
What this template typically catches
Issues teams running this template most often surface in practice:
Common use cases
Frequently asked questions
Does this guide apply to every parcel or delivery situation?
It covers the handoff for unsuccessful deliveries and deliveries recorded as complete but later disputed. It is a routing guide, not a replacement for local procedures. Approved procedures for regulated goods, safety-critical situations, and sensitive information take priority.
Who should use the guide and who decides the outcome?
Drivers use it to classify the situation, preserve the existing delivery record, and report permitted facts. Dispatchers handle unsuccessful deliveries or route disputed cases onward. A designated support or claims decision-maker decides disputed-delivery outcomes; drivers and dispatchers do not decide those cases alone.
When should staff use this guide?
Use it whenever a delivery does not follow the planned outcome, including a failed attempt or a recipient challenge after a delivery was recorded as complete. Follow the same sequence for each exception: classify, check for a priority procedure, record facts, route the case, and wait for an authorized decision. The template does not set a review or reporting cadence.
What should staff do when they cannot tell which category applies?
State what they observed and what the delivery record shows, leave the status unchanged, and ask the dispatcher on duty to classify the exception. Do not guess in a way that changes the record. The guide treats uncertainty as a reason to escalate, not to choose an outcome.
How should a disputed delivery be documented?
Record the delivery reference, what the recipient said as a reported statement, and what can be confirmed from the existing record. Do not assume the parcel was lost or that the recipient is mistaken. Keep the record unchanged and route the case to the designated support or claims decision-maker.
Does the template establish legal or regulatory compliance?
No. It provides a general handoff structure and explicitly defers to approved local procedures for regulated goods, safety-critical situations, and sensitive information. Before rollout, confirm those procedures, evidence rules, and escalation contacts with the responsible local owner.
What should be customized before using this template?
Replace the fictional Northstar Parcel setting with confirmed organization and role names. Add the depot-approved dispatch, support, claims, and backup routes, and identify the local procedures that take precedence. Do not publish invented contacts or promise outcomes that only an authorized decision-maker can approve.
Does this template connect to delivery systems or trigger case workflows?
No connected delivery-system block or automated workflow is specified. The guide tells staff which information to record and whom to contact through approved channels, but it does not create a case, update a delivery record, or send an alert. Link or connect those functions only through your organization's approved setup.
Why use a shared guide instead of ad-hoc instructions?
The comparison table gives both delivery paths the same visible criteria for status, evidence, contact, and decision authority. Worked examples and ordered steps reduce reliance on informal explanations that can vary by shift or depot. The guide still needs a clear owner and a correction route so local changes do not leave it stale.
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Rolled out to every employee at AutoZone (125,000), PetSmart (50,000+), A.S. Watson and Raley's (20,000) — and at larger retailers we are not permitted to name.
