A new cafe, and the first week goes wrong
The new cafe owner rang on Wednesday, tasted the sourdough on Thursday, and wants deliveries from Monday. The owner scribbles the details down. On Monday the driver arrives at six to a locked door because the cafe opens at eight and nobody asked about access. On Tuesday the bread is left at the front instead of the back. The first invoice goes to an email address with a typo.
None of it is serious, but it is not the start you wanted with a new customer.
Why setup is patchy
Opening an account touches several places: the order book or bakery software, the delivery round, the driver's knowledge, the invoicing system and the owner's notes on terms. Each is updated separately, from a conversation, by whoever has time.
- Details are taken by phone and written on paper.
- Access notes such as key safes and back doors are not asked for.
- The driver learns about the new drop on the morning.
- Invoice contact and payment terms are set up later, or not at all.
- The standing order is agreed verbally and typed in later.
What a rough start costs
A new customer's first impression, which in a competitive market matters. Wasted deliveries. Invoices that are not received, then not paid. Time spent sorting out details that could have been collected once, properly.
The onboarding we build
- The new customer gets a link to a short form on their phone, which asks for business details, delivery address, delivery window, access instructions with an optional photo of the drop point, invoice contact and preferred payment method.
- The form also collects their standing order for each day of the week from your product list, and their start date.
- You review the details, set their prices and payment terms, and approve.
- On approval, the customer is created in your invoicing system, the standing order is added to your order system from the start date, and the drop is added to the suggested round.
- The driver sees the new drop on their list with the access notes and photo before the first delivery.
- The customer receives a welcome email confirming their order, delivery window, cut-off times and how to change orders.
| Detail collected | Goes to |
|---|---|
| Delivery window and access | Driver's drop list |
| Standing order | Order system from start date |
| Invoice contact and terms | Invoicing system |
| Cut-off times | Welcome email to the customer |
A new account that starts right
The first delivery arrives at the right door at the right time. The first invoice reaches the right person. The customer knows how to order and when the cut-off is. And the owner spends a few minutes approving a form, rather than an hour making calls and notes.
Drivers stop learning about new drops at the loading bay. A new customer appears on their list a day or two before the first delivery, with the photo of the drop point and the access notes, and they can ask questions before they are standing at a locked door.
Existing customers can be sent the same form to fill gaps in their details, which is a good way to find the accounts where nobody wrote down the key safe code.
It also gives you a moment to decide terms before the first loaf goes out. Payment method, credit terms and any minimum order are settled at setup rather than argued about after the first invoice.
Is this how new accounts start?
- New accounts are set up from a phone call and a note.
- Drivers find out about new drops on the morning.
- First deliveries have gone to the wrong door or time.
- Invoice details are set up after the first week.
- Customers are not told your cut-off times.