How do I teach a successor to size pallet orders and delivery runs?

Sizing a pallet order mixes measurements, load weights, customer habits and stock on hand. The steps can be written, but the judgement rarely is. Pick a mix of recent orders, including an awkward one, and talk through what you looked at: the product, how it is stacked, how it will be moved and what the customer can handle. Record the questions you always ask.

Next, move to delivery runs. Show how you group orders, how long a loaded truck takes, which customers need time windows and where the bottlenecks are. Ride along on a run. Let the successor plan the next week while you review it, and talk about what went wrong and why.

Then share your reference material: price lists, customer notes, spreadsheets and the odd habit like checking the weather before loading. Make a short guide the successor can use alone. Decide how long you will stay available after handing over. The broader planning process for transitions applies here as well: start early, work through real cases and test that the successor can manage without you. Your accountant can help with how pricing is passed on.

Key takeaways

• Teach with real orders, saying aloud what you weigh.
• Swap roles so the successor sizes and you review.
• Ride along on delivery runs and leave a short written guide.
• Leave behind a short written guide that a new person could follow alone, and agree how long you will stay reachable.