'You were meant to take the old one'
A customer paid for her old three-seater to be taken away when the new one was delivered. It was written in the notes on the order in the showroom. The crew arrive with a full van for the day, carry the new sofa in and head for the door. She points at the old sofa in the hall. The crew have no space for it and did not know it was booked. They promise someone will come back for it. Nobody does for two weeks, and she has an old sofa blocking her hallway the whole time.
On other days, the crew take an old sofa that was never paid for, because the customer asked nicely on the doorstep. Or they take a sofa bed that turns out to have a metal mechanism the disposal site treats differently.
Why removals go wrong
- Removal is written as a note, not a line on the order with a charge and details.
- The size and type of the old item is not recorded.
- Van space and time for the removal are not planned.
- The crew's run sheet does not show removals clearly.
- Disposal, recycling or donation is not recorded.
A removal takes van space, crew time and a trip to a disposal or recycling site. Treated as a note, none of that is planned.
What missed removals cost
| Problem | Cost |
|---|---|
| Removal not done | Extra trip and an unhappy customer |
| Unpaid removal taken | Lost income and van space |
| No van space | Crew leaves the old item or returns later |
| Wrong item type | Disposal costs you did not charge for |
| No record | No evidence of how the item was disposed of |
How we make removal a proper service
- Removal is added to the order as its own line, in the showroom or online, with a price from your rules.
- The customer describes the old item: type, size, material, any mechanism or special parts, and whether it is a sofa bed or recliner.
- Delivery booking counts the space and time needed for the removal as well as the delivery, so the van is not overloaded.
- The crew's run sheet shows removals clearly, with the item description, so the crew knows exactly what to take.
- Items the crew are asked to take on the day without a booking can be added on the phone app, with the charge added to the order if you allow it.
- When the crew return, removed items are recorded as sent to disposal, recycling or donation, with any disposal paperwork you keep.
Rules for disposing of upholstered furniture and other items can change, and what applies to you is for you and your advisers to confirm. The system records what happened to each item so you can show it.
A delivery day afterwards
The run sheet shows four deliveries and two removals. The van is loaded with space left for the two old sofas. At the second drop, the crew carry the new sofa in and the old one out, and mark the removal as done on the phone. At the fourth drop, a customer asks if they can take an old armchair too. The crew add it on the app. The charge goes onto the order, and there is space in the van because the day was planned with some margin.
Donation and recycling partners
Some retailers pass good-condition items to charities or reuse schemes. The removal record can note the condition and whether the item is suitable for reuse, with photos, so the right items go to the right place. Charities often have their own rules about what they accept, and the record helps you check before the item reaches them.
Over time, the records show how many removals you do, what they cost you in crew time and disposal, and whether your removal charge covers it. That is useful information when you review your delivery prices each year.
Signs your removals need this
- Removals are written as notes on the order.
- Crews arrive without knowing there is a removal.
- Old furniture is left behind for lack of van space.
- Crews take unpaid removals on the doorstep.
- There is no record of how removed items were disposed of.