Practical working guide
How to qualify enquiries outside your service area
Qualify an out-of-area enquiry by checking travel time, job suitability and delivery capacity before promising a visit. Use one written exception rule and record who approved it. A postcode alone cannot establish whether the work is practical, and an enquiry is not a booking.
Write a rule that your team can apply
Use the following decision card for actual enquiries, not as a reason to publish near-identical location pages. Choose thresholds from your operating costs and schedule; the figures below are fictional examples, not recommended industry limits.
| Check | Details |
|---|---|
| Normal coverage | Example policy: Up to 45 minutes each way Required evidence: Route checked for the proposed time |
| Possible exception | Example policy: Specialist work with a suitable nearby visit Required evidence: Delivery manager approves both jobs |
| Cannot decide yet | Example policy: Location or access unclear Required evidence: Ask for area and access constraints |
| Outside capability | Example policy: Unavailable equipment or qualification Required evidence: Explain the specific limitation |
Worked example: distance is not the only condition
Fictional example: a repair is 55 minutes away. Another confirmed visit is nearby, but combining them would leave only 20 minutes for an uncertain repair. Record “exception not approved: insufficient time”, rather than forcing it into the diary. Ask whether a later assessment would help. A different enquiry at the same location may deserve a different decision because the work and available capacity differ.
Record and communicate the outcome
Keep the enquiry reference, approximate area, decision, reason, approver and next action. Request an exact address only when needed for the next step. Tell the customer what you can assess and when you will confirm availability. Review declined exceptions periodically: repeated requests may justify changing your coverage policy, not making promises that delivery cannot keep.