Guide
Customer Approvals in the Field: Stop 'I Didn't Agree to That'
Get approval in writing (text or email) before doing extra work: be specific (e.g. 'Customer approved $150 for capacitor replacement on [date]'), take a photo of the issue first, and store the approval with the job. Confirm once before starting: 'Just confirming: you approved $X for [work]. Should I proceed?' When you're ready for software, look for approval capture that attaches to the job and change order tracking so original scope vs approved changes is clear.
For teams dealing with 'I didn't agree to that' disputes after jobs because there was no clear record of what was approved.
Next: Use written approval and one confirmation line on the next 5 scope changes; store with the job and see if disputes drop.
The situation
A customer says I didn't agree to that after the job is done. You thought you had approval, but there's no clear record. Now you're in a dispute with no proof of what was agreed.
Get approval in writing (text or email) before doing extra work: be specific (e.g. Customer approved $150 for capacitor replacement on [date]), take a photo of the issue first, and store the approval with the job. Confirm once before starting: Just confirming: you approved $X for [work]. Should I proceed? Use written approval and one confirmation line on the next 5 scope changes; store with the job and see if disputes drop. When you're ready for software, look for approval capture that attaches to the job and change order tracking so original scope vs approved changes is clear.
What usually causes it
- Verbal approvals that aren't documented.
- Approvals that are vague or don't specify the work or cost.
- No clear record of what was approved vs. what was original scope.
- Approvals stored in different places (texts, emails, memory).
Quick fixes you can try this week
- Get approval in writing (text or email) before doing extra work: 'Customer approved $X for [work] on [date].'
- Be specific: 'Customer approved replacing the capacitor for $150' not 'customer approved extra work.'
- Take a photo of the issue before explaining it (proof of why the change was needed).
- Store approvals with the job record (not in separate texts or emails).
- Confirm the approval before starting work: 'Just confirming: you approved $X for [work]. Should I proceed?'
If you're ready: what to look for
- Approval workflows that capture customer sign-off digitally.
- Job notes that attach approvals to each job.
- Change order tracking that shows original scope vs. approved changes.
- Photo attachments that show the issue before work starts.
Mistakes to avoid
- Relying on verbal approvals without documentation.
- Vague approvals that don't specify work or cost.
- Storing approvals in different places (texts, emails, memory).
- Not confirming approval before starting work.
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Copy-paste scripts and checklists for this pain: