Missing Garment Search Checklist and Customer Update
Gives your staff a step-by-step list of places to look for a missing garment, records what has and has not been checked, and writes an honest update to the customer.
Before and after
Search checklist: ticket 41872, Esther Sloan
Missing item: Plum wool wrap coat, Ostrander label, size 8, belt, large covered buttons.
Picked up: 2 white shirts, Thursday March 13. Dropped off: Saturday March 8. Promised: Wednesday March 12.
- Ticket and POS record: Checked. All 3 pieces logged in and marked ready. Only the 2 shirts were handed over.
- Ready rail by ticket number: Checked. Nothing under 41872.
- Plant stages: Checked. Finishing table and bagging area looked at Thursday morning by Eugene Steele. Not found.
- Other bags and orders: Still to check. A similar plum coat in another order was looked at and ruled out because it is a different brand. Still to check: the orders bagged Thursday.
- Alterations, repair, or special-care area: Not applicable. No alterations on the ticket.
- Outside vendor or another location: Not applicable. All work is done in house at 2940 Winterton St.
- Delivery route or driver's vehicle: Not applicable. The customer does not use delivery.
- Pickup record: Still to check. The owner handed over the 2 shirts to the customer on Thursday March 13, but the pickup record, signature, or note was not looked at.
- Lost-and-found and unclaimed rack: Still to check.
Next actions:
- Felix Wall opens and checks the orders bagged Thursday, first thing Friday March 14.
- Eugene Steele goes through the ready rail again at close tonight.
- Check the pickup record for any signature or note.
- Check the lost-and-found and unclaimed rack.
- Call Esther Sloan by noon Friday March 14.
Status for customer: Still searching.
Message to Esther Sloan
Hi Esther, this is Eugene Steele at Birchvale Dry Cleaners. I'm sorry about your plum Ostrander wrap coat. We know you came in for it and it wasn't ready to hand over, and that's frustrating.
Here is what we have done so far. Our records show the coat was logged in and marked ready. We checked the ready rail, the finishing table, and the bagging area, and we looked at a similar coat in another order to rule it out. We have not found yours yet.
Next, we are opening the orders we bagged on Thursday, checking our pickup record, and checking our lost-and-found rack, and I will go through the rail again tonight. We will call you by noon on Friday, March 14, with an update, whether we have found it or not. If you want to reach us sooner, call 336-555-0102.
Thank you for your patience.
Eugene Steele, Birchvale Dry Cleaners, Fawnhill
Questions for the owner
- Do you have a claims or compensation policy you want mentioned to Esther if the coat is not found? If so, please give me the exact wording.
- Do you want to add the coat's value or purchase details to the file for later?
What it does
Gives your staff a step-by-step list of places to look for a missing garment, records what has and has not been checked, and writes an honest update to the customer. It works for one missing piece or several.
Use it when: Use when a dry cleaner has a customer's garment that cannot be found, such as "customer says her coat is missing," "can't find a ticket item," or "lost garment," and needs a search checklist plus an honest update message to the customer.