Strategies Spring 2026_No Crops

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3. Know Where Your Deliveries Come From Some Blish-Mize customers receive deliveries through other carriers. For those stores, customer service is the most reliable way to get arrival updates. “Customer service can reach out to operations or use other tracking systems to give a rough estimate on arrival,” he says. “They have visibility into tools the customer doesn’t, and they can also contact the carrier directly if something doesn’t look right. It’s the quickest way to get answers.” 4. Verify Delivery Before Signing When the truck arrives, Clark says stores should check pallet counts, loose items and pipe bundles before signing the bill of lading. These items appear separately on the paperwork and are easy to match with what the driver unloads. “Verify that you have the correct pallet count and the right number of loose items,” Clark says. “Take your time. It is extremely important for the customer to look everything over. If something looks damaged or out of place, pictures and notes on the bill of lading make the follow-up process much easier.” Clark says reporting any issues quickly helps Blish-Mize resolve issues quickly. “If we know about damage right away and have photos, we can file claims with the carrier and make sure the customer is credited properly,” he says. “It protects the customer, and it helps us keep freight and product costs down.”

5. Double Check Everything Once the product is inside the store, the work is not done. Clark says stores should slow down and check every shipment against the packing list, one line at a time. “Use the packing list to check in and make sure all product counts are accurate according to the order,” Clark says. “The packing list reflects what actually shipped. If something looked available but turned out to be damaged in the warehouse, it gets taken off the invoice, so the list gives the customer the exact record they need to verify everything.” Clark says employees should look for missing items, extra product or visible damage. Even small shortages can cause problems later, especially for contractors or customers waiting on specific materials. Catching issues at delivery makes them easier to fix. If stores find discrepancies, Clark says they should submit a return claim as soon as possible. Waiting can delay credits or replacements and make it harder to track what went wrong. Clear notes and photos can also help speed up the process. Clark says these five steps help stores stay organized and ready for every delivery, no matter the season or route. “Always contact customer service if something unusual comes up,” he says. “They can work with operations right away, and that keeps the customer on schedule.”

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Hardlines Strategies • Spring 2026 3