Documented procedure for handling Verbal Orders - 7.2 and Verbal Orders

[jmp4429]

Hi All,

I have yet another TS question for the experts. My handy TS reference book says that we need a documented procedure for handling verbal orders according to 7.2. Now, the standard doesn’t call this out anywhere, but I see where they could be getting it from. The standard does say that when the requirements change, we need a process to review them.

Now for our situation. We are a Tier 1 supplier and receive orders from our customer electronically. Occasionally, the customer will need to change our order quantity. Our procedure says that if any requirements change, the customer must send us an updated electronic order. If the change is for the next day’s shipment, they will update the electronic order and send it to us. Unfortunately, there are times when they will call us and say “Toss another hundred units in the truck today, will you?”

When they do this, we ask them to send us an updated electronic order. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they send it, but due to system sluggishness, we don’t get it until after the truck has left the dock.

So, I’m not sure what to do. Our procedure covers our butts as far as accepting changes to an order, (we just say no verbal orders) but the customer doesn’t always want to play by our rules. And we’ve had that discussion on the Cove before, so I’m not going there again.

Do I have to modify my procedures?

[D.Scott]

There is no requirement in TS saying you can't accept verbal changes - that is your own rule. If you do accept verbal orders, you could have a NC for not following your own procedure. If it were me, I would change my procedure to say verbal changes are acceptable when documented with the name, date, time etc. of who gave the change. As long as you document who, what, when and where (or whatever you decide is appropriate) and you allow for that in your procedure, you should be fine.

Dave

[Caster]

In Reply to Parent Post by jmp4429

Hi All,

In Reply to Parent Post by jmp4429

.... Occasionally, the customer will need to change our order quantity. Our procedure says that if any requirements change, the customer must send us an updated electronic order. If the change is for the next day’s shipment, they will update the electronic order and send it to us. Unfortunately, there are times when they will call us and say “Toss another hundred units in the truck today, will you?”

When they do this, we ask them to send us an updated electronic order. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they send it, but due to system sluggishness, we don’t get it until after the truck has left the dock. So, I’m not sure what to do. ?

Oh, this brings back bad memories.

We used to get the same "phone call because their ERP system could not handle a quick change" and of course we would do anything to satisfy the customer.

However we then would get dinged with poor delivery performance since we did not ship to their <incorrect> original order.

So we just sent them a FAX (later an e-mail) confirming the verbal change.

We never could get our perfomrance rating fixed to reflect reality so we ended up tracking our own performance and used that to dispute what their computer said. Our CEO eventually fired this customer for being too obstinate to work with.

So, I would definitely always just lay down 1 piece of paper on any verbal change...just to