Shop operations
How can your team find stock, repairs and orders quickly?
Start with a reliable item, repair or order reference, then narrow the search to the right type of record. Use filters when you need a working list, such as repairs ready for collection.
“It was a gold bracelet, sometime last month” gives a colleague very little to work with. A shop may hold several similar pieces and multiple jobs for the same customer. Finding the wrong record quickly is worse than taking a moment to establish the right reference.
Build finding information into the handover
Put the reference on the customer’s receipt and on the item’s packet or tray. When a customer calls, ask for it politely, then confirm the details before discussing the job. A reference helps locate a record; it is not, by itself, proof of someone’s identity.
Use when you need to trace related records across the business. A stock reference may appear in both the purchase and product records, which is useful when you need to understand how the piece arrived.
For a more focused task, search within the relevant section. An order number is usually more precise than a customer’s surname; a serial number can distinguish similar watches. Agree how your team enters those details, including spaces and prefixes, so that everyone searches consistently.
- Ask for the record reference before relying on a description.
- Confirm the item and customer details after opening the result.
- Keep notes with the record instead of inventing a separate filing system.
See it in Stockbox
Compare the search across modules with quick find and repair filters. The recording also shows how to reach a customer’s orders through their account.
Turn searches into useful daily lists
are helpful when the question concerns a group of jobs rather than one customer. A list of repairs at a particular workshop can support a progress call. A list ready for collection can help the counter team prepare packets and customer updates.
Make the purpose of each list clear. “Ready to collect” should mean the work has been checked and the item is available for handover. If a repair is still at an external workshop, a status alone may not give the full picture. Check the location as well.
For example, start the day by reviewing jobs ready for collection, then confirm which customers need contacting. Later, a colleague can pick up the same records and see what has been done. That avoids several people making the same call or assuming somebody else made it.
When a record cannot be found
- Check whether a filter from the previous search is still active.
- Try the original reference, serial or customer account.
- Check the section you are searching before creating another record.
Keep a short note of recurring search problems. If colleagues repeatedly cannot find the same type of item, improve the naming or required fields. Good search habits begin with good information being entered.
