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Receiving an Order

5 minutes Could Save You 5 hours

Inspect.
Note Any Damage.
Then, Sign.

If your order is being shipped LTL, meaning “Less than Load”, there are certain precautions to take when receiving your order to ensure liability for damaged product is on the carrier and not you. Once you sign the Proof of Delivery (POD), you are taking on full responsibility and liability for your product and It will be hard to prove that damage occurred during transit without proper documentation. With impending deadlines and impatient drivers, taking these precautions might seem impossible, but taking the extra five minutes will save you a lot of time in the long run if indeed your order was damaged in transit. Read through the following steps before receiving your freight in order to set yourself up for success.

Inspect the shipment

    • Look for damage to the boxes: smashed corners, tears/gouges to the box, or water marks.
    • Check if the pallet is 100% intact
    • Look to see if “DO NOT STACK” cones are missing, removed, or smashed.
    • Your box might have a tilt indicator to check. If it is blue, unacceptable tilting has occurred on products that must remain upright.
    • Listen for broken glass or loose parts as the driver unloads your boxes or pallet.

Note any possible damage on the POD and take pictures

    • If you notice any external damage, note it on the POD. 
    • If you think there might be internal damage and you need more time to inspect it, write “Further Inspection Required” on the POD.
    • Failing to note any damage on the POD will result in the carrier denying a claim for the damaged product.
    • Take pictures of any visible damage, if you have a way to timestamp the picture, please do that as well. 

Sign the POD

    • Please legibly sign the document so that your name can be referred to in the event of a claim.
    • Check for any additional charges before signing. Additional charges include things like a Lift Gate or inside delivery. When you sign, you are agreeing that the services were performed and you may be responsible for the extra charges.

If there are issues or you don’t know what to do, call us.

    • Please call us immediately if you have issues with your delivery. We want to help as much a possible. Our phone number is 866-286-4400.
The more details you put on the POD the better. The product you are getting from Covenant Security Equipment is custom and not easily replaceable, so diligence in receiving your order properly will only be saving you time and money. If you have any questions or concerns about these receiving instructions, please contact us either by phone or email and we would be happy to help you.