October 27, 2026

Walk It Before You Go

By Staff Member

The sectional is in. The boxes are broken down. Your helper is already carrying the dolly back to the truck, and the customer has the pen in hand. This is the moment to slow down, not speed up.

The last job of every stop is the walkthrough, then the photos that close it. Both are skills you can practice like any other.

Why the walkthrough happens before you leave

Furniture retailers now tell their customers what to check before the crew goes. Lott’s Furniture’s delivery checklist calls delivery day “the practical inspection window.” Once the crew leaves, documenting a concern becomes harder and may leave questions about when the damage occurred.

El Dorado Furniture says the same in plainer words: before the team leaves, make sure all expected items have arrived, the furniture is where you want it, and everything looks right.

The customer has been told to check. Lead that check, then take the photos that show what you both just confirmed.

Step 1: Confirm who is signing

El Dorado Furniture states that an adult age 18 or older must be available to accept the delivery. Make sure the person walking with you is an adult who can accept it. If no adult is there, don’t hand the paperwork to a minor. Call your dispatcher and follow the job ticket.

Script:

“Before we finish up, are you the person accepting the delivery today? I’d like to walk through everything with you.”

Step 2: Walk each piece with the customer

Go piece by piece, with the order paperwork in hand. Lott’s checklist lists what the customer should confirm at the final walkthrough:

  • Complete order. Every piece and component matches the paperwork.
  • Correct selections. Colors, fabrics, finishes, and configurations match the order.
  • Correct placement. The furniture sits where the customer asked, with room for drawers, doors, and recliners to work.
  • Leveling and alignment. Feet, frames, drawers, doors, and sectional connections sit properly.

If one side of a sofa sits higher because of uneven flooring, Lott’s says the team can look at the feet and leveling before the handoff is done. Fix it now. Use normal room lighting and look at surfaces from several angles, with the customer next to you.

Script:

“Let’s go one at a time. Here’s the dresser, in the spot you picked. Can you check the color and the finish against your order with me?”

Step 3: Test what moves while you’re still there

Lott’s says to operate recliners, adjustable bases, drawers, doors, and other mechanisms before the crew leaves. Open each drawer and door through its full range. Run a recliner from closed to fully extended and back. Don’t wait until you’re gone.

  • Drawers open all the way and close without binding.
  • Doors swing without striking a wall or nearby furniture.
  • Recliners extend fully and return, with room to do it.

Script:

“Go ahead and try the recliner all the way out and back. I want you to see it work before we leave.”

Step 4: Check the room, not just the furniture

Lott’s walkthrough list includes room condition: the delivery path and nearby areas used during assembly should show no new damage. Walk the path back to the door with the customer. Look at walls, door frames, floors, and stair edges. Sweep so no wrapping, foam, or fastener is left beneath or around the furniture. If you find a mark, point it out before the customer finds it.

Step 5: Write it down before the signature

Lott’s is direct: write each concern clearly on the paperwork before signing. The signature confirms the delivery record and “should follow the inspection, not replace it.” If a concern remains, explain the note, the next step, and who to contact.

  1. Write any concern in plain words before the customer signs.
  2. Read the note back.
  3. Tell them the next step and who to contact, using the job ticket.

Script:

“I’m writing down the scuff on the side panel here, before you sign. Here’s what I wrote. If you have questions about it, this is who to call.”

Get the signature first. The photos come after.

Step 6: Photograph the finish before you leave

The walkthrough and the signature are done. Now take the finish photos.

RetailGenie’s delivery checklist says to photograph the items in their final position after setup. Those photos prove the condition at delivery and help against a later damage claim. Take at least two photos, from more than one angle, with decent lighting. A dark or blurry shot proves nothing in a scratch dispute. OkPilot’s white-glove guide lists a photo of the item in the room as proof for room-of-choice delivery, and photos of the item in place from two angles for full-service work. In OkPilot’s view, a photo ends an argument about where a piece was placed.

Ferozzi Furniture says photos taken during delivery confirm condition and serve as proof of intact delivery. Customers must inspect while the team is still there and support a concern with photo or video evidence before the crew leaves. Lott’s tells homeowners to photograph the completed room and the signed paperwork, and to shoot a concern in close-up plus a wider shot. Paragon Furniture tells receivers to photograph the signed delivery receipt or bill of lading when damage or loss is noted.

What to photograph, on every stop:

  1. Each piece in its final spot. Stand back far enough to show the whole piece and the wall or floor around it. Then move in for corners, legs, seams, and any surface the customer just checked.
  2. Condition notes you wrote. Photograph a noted mark up close and again from farther back so the location is clear.
  3. The room and the path you used. One or two shots of the walls, door frames, floors, and stair edges you just walked. Path photos before carry-in belong in “No Photos, No Proof.”
  4. The signed paperwork. One clear shot of the signed slip with the note and the signature.

Use normal room light. Turn on the lamps if the space is dark. Skip a harsh flash. Shoot from more than one angle so both the piece and where it sits are clear.

Script:

“Everything looks good from the walkthrough. I’m going to take a few photos of each piece where it sits, and one of the signed paperwork, before we head out.”

If a claim comes later, you can show the piece in place, its condition, the room around it, and the signed record. That is why photos are the last step. For pickup photos, path shots before carry-in, and fitness-gear build photos, use “No Photos, No Proof.”

Your walkthrough, every job

  1. Confirm an adult 18 or older is accepting the delivery.
  2. Walk every piece against the paperwork.
  3. Check placement, leveling, and alignment.
  4. Test drawers, doors, and recliners while you’re still there.
  5. Walk the room and the path for new damage, and sweep for leftover packing.
  6. Write every concern on the paperwork before the customer signs.
  7. Tell the customer the next step and who to contact.
  8. Photograph each piece in place, the room and path, any noted mark, and the signed paperwork before you leave.

The skill is yours

A clean walkthrough is a habit you take to every job. WGCN is a third-party training module for independent contractors.

Bottom Line

Before you leave, walk the job with an adult who can accept it. Check every piece, its placement, and its leveling. Test what moves. Look for new damage in the room and on the path. Write every concern before the signature. Then photograph each piece in its final spot, the room around it, and the signed record. Walk it before you go.

WGCN’s online courses are for every white glove delivery specialist, whether you’re new, thinking about getting into it, or have been doing it for a while. The Professional White Glove Last Mile Course covers the core concepts of the job, and The Gold Standard of Customer Service is the standalone customer service course. Each course is $49.99, or $64.99 for both. See the courses.

Sources

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