Lost garments are rarely about theft — they are about ambiguous tags, missing status updates, and no searchable history when a customer returns three days later.
The minimum viable tracking stack
- Unique order number on every intake
- Customer record with phone number (searchable)
- Line items — what was received, not just a total amount
- Promised date visible on the order
- Status pipeline — received → processing → ready → collected
Statuses that match the shop floor
| Status | Meaning for staff |
|---|---|
| Received | Bag logged at counter |
| Processing | In wash / dry-clean / press |
| Ready | On rack, customer can collect |
| Collected | Closed — payment confirmed |
Tags that prevent disputes
Capture stain notes, express flag, and special instructions at intake. When a customer says "you ruined my cuff," you pull the order history — not someone's memory.
Daily discipline
- Close stale "ready" orders — call or SMS customers
- Reconcile open orders vs rack count once per shift
- Review orders past promised date before 4pm rush
LaundriPOS bakes this workflow into the POS so you are not maintaining a parallel spreadsheet.
See features or contact us for migration help from exercise books.