Overview
Offboarding is not the same as regular device shipping or procurement. It involves coordinating with a former employee, arranging packaging and pickup, and handling uncertain equipment conditions.
This article explains why offboarding takes time, what challenges commonly occur, and how DOTS manages the entire process end-to-end, so customers do not need to intervene.
Why Offboarding Is a Special Logistics Flow
1. Limited cooperation from the end user
Offboarding requires direct communication with a user who is no longer employed or has recently been terminated.
Common challenges include:
Reduced responsiveness to emails or calls
Lower motivation to complete tasks quickly
Difficulty scheduling a convenient pickup time
This naturally increases the overall turnaround time.
2. Packaging must arrive before pickup can be scheduled
In most offboarding cases, the user does not have appropriate packaging for safe device return.
This means:
DOTS must ship packaging materials to the user
The user must receive them
They must pack all the equipment
Only then can we schedule the pickup
Each step adds lead time, especially when:
The user delays packing
Shipping carriers take longer than expected
A new pickup window is required because the user was not available
3. Returned equipment may be incomplete
Offboarding returns often arrive with partial or missing components, because users:
Lose charging cables
Keep peripherals accidentally
Ship only the laptop, but omit accessories
Forget items in drawers or home offices
This increases processing time and may require follow-up to clarify missing parts.
How DOTS Manages the Entire Offboarding Process
DOTS handles 100% of communication and coordination directly with the user, including:
Contacting the former employee
Shipping packaging materials
Confirming receipt
Supporting the user while they pack the equipment
Scheduling and tracking the pickup
Managing incomplete or partial returns
Updating status inside your portal
Customers do not need to chase users, couriers, or packaging timelines.
However, due to the nature of offboarding, the process inherently takes longer, and patience is required.
Setting the Right Expectations for ETA
Offboarding is not comparable to:
Onboarding shipments, where DOTS controls the outbound flow
Procurement orders, which follow standard warehouse timelines
Instead, offboarding depends largely on user responsiveness and third-party shipping steps, which cannot be fully controlled.
Customers should avoid planning onboarding or urgent deployments based on expected offboarding returns unless they have confirmed all equipment is safely back in DOTS's possession.
Tips to Improve Offboarding Success
Notify DOTS as early as possible before the offboarding date
Communicate internally that offboarding returns may take several days to several weeks, depending on user cooperation and shipping times
Treat offboarding devices as non-guaranteed inventory until fully processed