Monitoring of damaged Stocks

[Vinruby]

Good Day

We distribute dry food stuffs, our problem is that when we deliver our products everything is whole and in one piece and then after a couple of weeks one of the stores will ask a credit notes for damaged goods. Are we as suppliers oblidged to give credit because when we delivered all the products was still whole in its packaging.

any advice will be appreciated, this is one of our biggetst buyers and I dont want to step on any toes, but they are the only store ever requesting credit for bales and bales of damaged goods. It is costing my company big time

Any advice will be appreciated.

V

[Dave A]

Does your delivery note have a "Goods received in good order" signature line for the recipient?

If that's not cutting it, my suggestion is to ensure you have a section on your delivery note that says:

The recipient hereby acknowledges they have inspected the goods for visible signs of damage and any damage found is listed below
and then leave a space for any visible defects to be noted.

Instruct your delivery staff that once they agree there is no damage, they put a line through this section and state "no visible damage", and the recipient must sign next to this section as well as the normal "received goods in good order".

It normally helps if you can identify the cause of the damage. Bad handling when moving? Stacking too high?

[AndyD]

If the problem only arises with one customer I would go and discuss the issue face to face with them. It's a 50/50 they're just taking a chance but there might be a real problem such as a goods lift not working so the delivery staff are man handling goods up stairs and damaging items for example. Tell them you fully understand they are busy and might not have time to inspect every package upon delivery so you have a generous policy of 24 or 48hrs to report damaged goods, but also mention that complaining after a couple of weeks is taking the p1ss and can't be allowed to continue (in the nicest way possible of course).

[Tim Crowley]

You could take time to assess the damaged goods by inspecting the packaging. Is it just one specific product, or more than one different product? I would then determine the possible cause, is it faulty, which sounds unlikely or negligence.
I would also draw up a comparison analysis between stores and credit notes issued which would highlight and isolate your problem to that particular store and show this to those concerned.
You mention one of the stores, if this is a chain-store you are referring to and depending on whether it is a franchise or company owned store, speak to the buyer/manager in charge.
Perhaps you could insist/request before issuing credit notes, the store provide an explanation in writing for each damaged product, which would then expose the reoccurring problem. I have seen suppliers use this method as standard procedure.

[Blurock]

Insisting that damaged goods be returned will sometimes solve the problem. That gives you an opportunity to inspect packaging and reasons for damages so that issues can be addressed properly. It also solves the problem of staff gaining from torn packaging, but unharmed products that may be taken home.