Dispatch Playbook

Technician leads and administrators keep the service pipeline flowing smoothly. This playbook outlines the checks to perform throughout the day and how to handle common situations.

Morning Checklist#

1. Review the dashboard. Confirm overnight assignments and verify no urgent jobs are waiting unclaimed.
2. Confirm resource availability. Update technician schedules for PTO, training, or on-call rotations.
3. Scan pending approvals. Ensure customer decisions are recorded for estimates or scope changes created after hours.
4. Prepare staging areas. Coordinate with parts managers so required components are pulled before technicians arrive.

Assigning Work#

• Use the Unassigned Orders view to prioritise jobs based on SLA, customer tier, and travel requirements.
• Assign work directly from the order detail page. Include an introductory note if special instructions apply.
• When multiple technicians will collaborate, designate a primary owner and list supporting staff in the notes for clarity.

Monitoring Progress#

• Keep the Awaiting Parts queue under observation. Contact suppliers for ETA updates and add them to the timeline.
• Orders stuck in the same status for more than three days should be escalated. Add an action item in the notes and @-mention the responsible technician.
• Use the Reports → Order Aging dashboard weekly to identify bottlenecks and adjust staffing.

Coordinating With Customers#

• Encourage technicians to document recommendations clearly. Dispatchers should review the notes for tone and completeness before they are sent to customers.
• If a customer has not responded to an approval request within two business days, follow up via phone and log the conversation.
• When orders reach Ready for Return, confirm the pickup or delivery arrangement and update the final mile plan in the notes.

Handling Exceptions#

• Emergency service: Create a new order, set priority to Urgent, and notify the on-call technician. Document the hand-off in the timeline.
• Technician unavailable mid-job: Reassign the order, summarise progress in a note, and attach relevant diagnostics so the next technician can continue seamlessly.
• Parts delays: Update the status to Awaiting Parts, record the supplier and tracking information, and set a reminder to revisit the order on the expected arrival date.

End-of-Day Wrap-Up#

1. Verify all technicians have logged labour and parts for the day.
2. Ensure orders ready for invoicing have complete documentation.
3. Archive or cancel any duplicate requests surfaced during the day.
4. Communicate outstanding risks during the shift handover briefing.

Documenting each action in the platform keeps the team aligned, preserves institutional knowledge, and creates a reliable audit trail for customers.

See also: Technician Admin → Dispatch Operations for admin-specific tooling and reports.