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Take a tow call and follow it in the console

Fill in the New tow call form, then open the call to read its details, move it along, assign a driver and read its timeline.

For
DispatcherService advisorAdministrator
Hosting
Any hosting
Devices
Web browser
Business
Towing

Checked against Pop Dispatch 0.1.0

The Tow calls list, the New tow call form and the Tow call page work together. You will be able to find a call, take a new one, and open any call to assign a driver, move it to its next status and read what happened.

Before you start #

You need the dispatcher, advisor, manager or owner role. The rules behind each status are in "A tow call from first ring to completed" and "Assignment rules".

Find a call #

  1. Open Tow calls. Each row shows the call number, kind, status, subject, service unit, driver, pickup address and the time the call was taken.
  2. Choose a Status filter: All open calls, On the road, or one single status.
  3. Type in Search for (call number, caller, vehicle or address) and choose Search.
  4. Choose Show more at the bottom for the next 25 calls.
  5. Choose a call number to open it, or choose New call to take another one.

Take a call #

The New tow call form with the Pickup box, the optional boxes, the Reason, Priority, Drive type and Payment lists, Scheduled for, the customer search, the condition and notes boxes, and the Take the call button.
The New tow call form. The numbers match the Take a call steps.
  1. Open New tow call from the New call button.
  2. Enter the Pickup address. It is the only required field.
  3. Add what you know: Drop-off, Caller name, Caller phone and Vehicle. The vehicle becomes a vehicle record when the job is taken in.
  4. Choose the Reason, Priority and Drive type, and choose Payment: Collect at drop-off or Bill the account. Add a PO number when the account needs one.
  5. Set Scheduled for to book the call for later. Leave it empty for as soon as possible. The time is in the shop time zone.
  6. Choose a Customer. The caller name and phone fill in from the customer when you left them empty.
  7. Describe the Condition of the vehicle and add Notes.
  8. Choose Take the call. The Tow call page opens for the new call.

While you type, Pop Dispatch keeps an unfinished copy. If the page closes early, the Unfinished work bar offers Review and Discard. The copy goes away when the call is saved.

Work a call #

The Tow call page of a new call with the Move the call buttons, the Assign section with the Driver list, the Truck list, Minutes until arrival and the Assign button, then the Timeline and the Photos and signatures sections.
A call with no driver yet. The numbers match the Work a call steps.
  1. On the Tow call page, read the status badges and the details: subject, service unit, reason, priority, pickup, drop-off, caller, driver, account, PO number, distance, quote, scheduled time, arrival, time taken and invoice.
  2. Under Move the call, choose a status button to move the call to the next status. When the call cannot move further, the page says so.
  3. A call that is new, scheduled or dispatched also shows Assign (or Change driver when a driver is already on it). Choose a driver, optionally a truck and the minutes until arrival, then choose Assign.
  4. Read the Timeline for every change, and Photos and signatures for the files the driver added.
  5. Choose Open the invoice when the call has an invoice. Choose Back to calls to return to the list.
Technical details
  • The list reads GET /tow/calls with status and q, 25 at a time. The form sends POST /tow/calls. The page reads GET /tow/calls/{id}, moves with POST /tow/calls/{id}/status and assigns with POST /tow/calls/{id}/assign.
  • The unfinished copy of the form is kept in the journal as draft_job.

If something goes wrong #

  • "Enter the pickup address.": fill in the Pickup field and choose Take the call again.
  • A message under Assign about a busy driver or a blocked truck: choose another driver or truck. See "Assignment rules".
  • "Your role cannot do that.": ask the owner for a role that can dispatch.
  • "Your session has ended. Sign in again.": sign in, then return to the call.