When Things Go Wrong

Things don’t always go as planned. A customer might cancel. Scope might change. Someone might be unhappy.

This page walks you through 5 common problems and tells you exactly what to do, step by step, in the Rivvex system.

Problem 1: Customer Cancels Before Work Starts

The Situation: The customer calls and says, “I changed my idea. I’m no longer going to have the work done.

This happens more often than you think. It isn’t a failure; it’s life.

What to do:

**Stay in the current job in the app.
Change the status to “Cancelled.”

In the status dropdown, select “Cancelled.”

**Add a note on the note on the app: “Customer called. Decided not to proceed. No work was done. No cost to the customer.
**If a quote was sent but not accepted, you don’t need to do anything. It’s already in the system.
**If a quote was already sent and accepted, and then the customer cancels, that’s a different situation (See Problem 2 below.)
Update the schedule.

The job is no longer scheduled. The schedule is removed from the calendar.
If a crew member was assigned, they are freed up for other work.

What if the customer wants to restart the job later?

You can either reactivate the same job (change the status from “Cancelled” back to “Draft” or a “To Review” as needed. Or, more commonly, you create a new job for the fresh start. Either approach works.

Problem 2: Customer Cancels Mid-Project

**The situation:

The customer says, “I need to stop the work. I can no longer afford the rest of the job. I’m not going to have the rest done.

This is harder because work has already been performed.

What to do:

Document the cancellation in the job record.

Add a note: “Customer called. Stopping the work. No longer able to pay for the rest. We’ve done the following work to date: [describe what’s done and what isn’t done.

**Mark the job as “Cancelled.”
**Bill for the work already completed.

Go to the job record.
Create an invoice for the work that was done. This might be part of the original quote, or it might be a different amount if the scope changed.
Example: The original quote was $5,000 for 5 days of work. 2 days are done. 2 days of work = $2,000. You invoice for $2,000.
Send the invoice to the customer.

The job record stays in the system.

Even though the job is cancelled, the record of work done remains. If the customer returns in the future, you have the history.

Note the status of any materials or equipment.

If you already bought materials for the job, you may need to note in the record that, for example, the job is cancelled. Any materials on hand are available for other jobs.

What about the crew?

The crew member who was working on the job is now free. They are reassigned to other tasks.
If the job was in the middle of a phase, make sure the next assignment is clear.

**If the customer wants to resume later, you can create a new job for the remaining work, and the old record is available for reference.

Problem 3: Scope Changed During the Work

**The situation:

The crew member is on the job and they find something unexpected. For example, the fence was supposed to be a simple post and rail, but the ground behind the fence is badly graded and the new fence will need a retaining wall.

This is a common and important scenario. It doesn’t mean something went wrong. It means the situation is more complex than initially apparent.

What to do:

The crew member documents the change in the app.

In the mobile app, they write a detailed note: “Ground behind the fence is severely uneven. The original plan was a post and rail, but we need a retaining wall to support the new fence. Adding 6-foot retaining wall along the back 30 feet.
They take photos of the issue.

**The crew member calls the office (or you note it in the job for the office to see when they get back to their computer, the office receives the update.
You create a change order or revised quote.

A change order is a formal update to the original quote. It documents what has changed, why it changed, and the new cost.
In Rivvex, go to the job record. You can create a revised quote that includes the original scope plus the new work.
Example: Original quote was $2,000 for the fence. The retaining wall adds $1,500. The revised quote is $3,500.
The change order note: “Added 6-foot retaining wall (30 feet) to support the new fence. Additional materials: concrete blocks, gravel, rebar. Additional labor: 2 days.

Send the revised quote to the customer for approval.

The customer has the right to approve or decline the extra work.
If they accept, you note it in the job. Work continues under the new scope.
If they decline, the crew member stops the extra work. They complete the original scope (the fence only) and note that the retaining wall wasn’t done. This is a valid outcome.

The system tracks the change order.

Both the original quote and the revised quote are in the record.
The change order is documented with the date, the reason, the cost, and the customer’s decision.
This is important for future reference and for any potential disputes.

The crew member continues the work.

If the customer approved the change, the crew member updates the job with the new scope. They note the progress.
At the end, the job record contains both the original plan and the actual work performed.

The invoice reflects the final cost.

When the job is done, the invoice includes the costs from the original scope plus the approved change work.
The customer sees the full picture.

Problem 4: The Customer is Unreachable

**The situation:

The crew member arrives at the location and the customer isn’t there. The phone number you have on the file is the customer’s home number, and they aren’t answering.

This happens especially with jobs that are on a schedule for which the customer needs to be present.

What to do:

The crew member’s attempt to reach the customer is documented in the app.

In their mobile device, the crew member writes a note: “Arrived at 742 Evergreen. Knocked on the door for 10 minutes. No answer. Called (555) 867-5309, no answer.

**They take a photo of the location.

This proves they were there.

**They mark the attempt as “Reschedule Attempted.”

The status of the job isn’t changed. The schedule remains in place for a future date.
The note is saved in the job record.

**The crew member moves on to the next job of the day.

You don’t want them sitting at the location all day. They go on to the next site.

**The office is notified.

The office sees the note in the job.
The office contacts the customer by the other phone number, by email, or by sending a text: “Hi, we were at the location today but couldn’t reach you. We’ll try again tomorrow. If you aren’t available, please let us know.

Rescheduling the job.

If the customer responds: “I will be home Thursday instead of Tuesday.” You update the schedule. The job is moved to the new date.
If the customer doesn’t respond within a reasonable time (say, 2-3 days of attempted contact), you may mark the job as “On Hold” and send a formal note: “We’ve attempted to reach you on 2 occasions. The job is now on hold. Contact us to reschedule.

Documenting the attempts.

Each attempt to contact the customer is recorded in the job. Over time, this creates a clear record of your good faith efforts.
If the customer later claims they were never contacted, the record speaks for itself.

**If this is an emergency or urgent job and the customer is unreachable, the crew member shouldn’t proceed with the work without the customer’s approval. Proceeding without consent can lead to disputes. It’s better to reschedule.

Problem 5: The Customer Disputes the Quality or the Cost

**The situation:

The work is done, or the customer says, “The work isn’t up to my standards. The fence isn’t straight. And the total cost is higher than I expected. I’m not going to pay the full amount.

This is the most sensitive situation. It requires care, documentation, and a willingness to resolve the issue fairly.

What to do:

Document the complaint in the system.

Record the customer’s concern in the job. Note: “Customer called. Says the fence isn’t straight and the cost is too high. Wants a reduction.

**Pause the sign-off and the invoice process.

Don’t push the invoice through if the customer isn’t satisfied. It’s a problem to solve.
The job stays in “Pending Signoff” or in a “Disputed” status.

Send a crew member to assess the complaint.

The same person can go back to the site, or a different person. A fresh set of eyes is often helpful.
The inspector fills out a review report in the app:
- Is the fence straight? (Yes, within acceptable tolerance. No, it’s visibly out of line.
- Are the materials as specified in the quote? (Yes / No)
- Is the workmanship up to standard? (Yes / Needs correction)

If the complaint is valid, you fix the issue.

The crew member makes the necessary corrections. It might take a day or 2.
The corrections are documented in the job. “We straightened the fence line and replaced 2 posts that were out of alignment.

If the complaint is about cost, review the math.

Did the work match the quote?
Was the change order properly approved before the extra work was done?
If the original quote was $2,000 and the change order added $500, the total is $2,500. If the customer is surprised by the change order, this is a communication gap. You go back and explain. If the change order was approved, the cost is clear.

**If the invoice needs to be adjusted, you issue a revised invoice.

The revised invoice is created in the system. The new amount is entered.
The old invoice is marked as “Voided” or “Replaced by new invoice. The original invoice number is kept for the record.
The new invoice is sent to the customer.

**When to escalate:

If the customer isn’t satisfied after you’ve corrected the work, and the cost is clearly supported by the quote and the change orders, and the customer still isn’t paying:
- Document everything: the original agreement, the work done, the corrections, the attempts to resolve.
- You may need to involve a manager, a supervisor, or legal counsel.
- In Rivvex, all of this documentation is in one place. The job record tells the complete story.

**If the work was genuinely substandard, own it.

Apologize. Fix it. If the cost needs to be reduced, do it.
A customer who was wrong but was treated fairly and fairly is more likely to return than one who feels ignored.

The final resolution is recorded in the job.

Whether it’s a full correction, a partial credit, or a firm stand, the outcome is documented. This is for the benefit of your business and for the protection of all involved.

Quick Reference: Problem → Action

Problem	First Step	Key Action in Rivvex
Customer cancels before work	Change status to “Cancelled”	Add reason. Clear the schedule.
Customer cancels mid-project	Document how far the work got. Create invoice for completed work. Note the cancellation.
Scope changed on site	Crew member documents the change.	Create a change order / revised quote. Send to customer for approval.
Customer is unreachable	Document each attempt.	Add a note with date, time, and method of contact. Reschedule.
Customer disputes quality or cost	Record the complaint. Send someone to assess. If valid, fix it. If not, explain with documentation. If a fix is agreed, make the correction and revise the invoice if needed.

These are the most common problem scenarios. Your team should know these steps. They aren’t emergencies; they’re part of the job. Rivvex gives you the tools to handle them properly, with a full record of every decision and every step.

When things go wrong, **documentation is your best defense. The more detailed the record, the stronger your position.

And remember: every problem has a solution. The system is there to help you find it.

Common Scenarios Customer Management