Wrong or missing item in customer order - Operational Scenarios

What's happening

A customer has received their shipment but reports that one or more items are incorrect or not included. The warehouse shows the order as fulfilled without exceptions. It is unclear whether this was a picking error, a packing error, or a miscommunication about what was actually ordered.

What typically breaks

Wrong item picked

fulfilment

The classic warehouse error.

Signals you're in trouble

Customer receives incorrect product
Same customer contacting support through multiple channels
Threads marked "resolved" while customer is still asking questions
No visibility into whether a refund email or replacement tracking was actually received
Support tickets escalated multiple times without resolution

Questions worth asking

Whether anyone knows if tickets auto-close based on time rather than explicit resolution
How agents know if a previous response was actually delivered or read
Whether refund confirmations and tracking numbers are logged somewhere everyone can see
If order ownership survives shift changes or staff turnover
Whether there is a single system of record showing order assignment

Related operator insights

"If you don't own the warehouse, you don't own the customer experience."

— Anon

"The most expensive order is the one you have to ship twice."

— Ops Manager

"Customers forgive mistakes, they don't forgive silence."

— CX Head