A kitchen that left without its plinths
A builder buys a kitchen supply-only for a house they are renovating. They measured it themselves. The designer drew it, the builder approved it on WhatsApp, and the order went in. Collection day arrives, the builder's van is loaded from the warehouse, and two weeks later they ring: no plinths, no end panel for the tall unit, and one wall unit is the wrong width because their measurement was off.
Now there is a question of who pays, and no clear record to answer it.
Why supply-only is error-prone
Your fitted jobs have people checking at each stage. Supply-only jobs have fewer eyes: no surveyor, no fitter opening boxes, no handover walk-round. Yet they use the same designers, suppliers and warehouse, so they are often treated as if they had the same safety net.
- Customer approvals come by text or WhatsApp and are not stored with the order.
- Responsibility for measurements is not stated in writing.
- Items are picked for collection without checking against the full schedule.
- Collection dates are agreed informally and stock sits in the warehouse for weeks.
- There is no signed receipt listing what left the building.
What supply-only mistakes cost
Missing items mean extra supplier orders at your cost if you cannot show what was collected. Disputes over measurements are hard to settle without a written record of who measured. Uncollected stock takes warehouse space. And a builder who has a bad experience takes their next five kitchens elsewhere.
The supply-only flow we set up
- Supply-only is a separate order type with its own steps and wording on the quote, including who took the measurements.
- The customer approves the final schedule through a link, item by item, including plinths, panels, fillers, cornice and handles.
- The order is released to suppliers once the deposit you require is paid.
- When goods arrive, they are checked in against the schedule and the customer is offered collection or delivery slots.
- On collection, the warehouse picks from the schedule on a tablet and the customer signs for each box or item.
- Uncollected orders show on a list with the date they were ready, so reminders go out and storage terms are applied as your terms say.
| Step | Fitted job | Supply-only with this flow |
|---|---|---|
| Measurements | Your surveyor | Customer, recorded on the quote |
| Approval | Signed design | Schedule approved item by item |
| Checking goods | Fitter on site | Checked in against schedule |
| Handover | Walk-round | Signed collection receipt |
Your terms on measurements, returns and storage are yours. The system records that the customer saw and accepted them.
What changes for supply-only
Every supply-only order has a clear, approved schedule and a signed receipt. Missing items are found at check-in, not two weeks later on the builder's site. Collections are booked rather than loosely agreed. And when a question comes up, there is a record to look at.
Supply-only customers, especially builders and developers, often come back with more orders if the first one goes smoothly. A clear approved schedule, a booked collection and a signed receipt make the experience feel as organised as a fitted job. It also protects your warehouse team, who no longer have to argue from memory about what went out of the door and when.
Recognise these?
- Supply-only customers have come back for items they say were missing.
- Approvals for supply-only orders are in WhatsApp threads.
- Goods sit in the warehouse waiting for a collection nobody booked.
- You have had a measurement dispute with no written record.