Stop Hiding Behind “Waiting on Approval”

There’s a mistake I see in almost every shop’s workflow—
and it’s costing them follow-ups, approvals, and hours of lost time.

It’s this:

They treat “Waiting on Approval” as one giant bucket.

Sounds innocent enough.
A tech inspects the car. Builds the estimate. Sends it to the advisor.
And that work order moves into the “waiting on approval” stage.

The customer hasn’t said yes yet. So it sits.

But here’s the problem:

What does “waiting on approval” actually mean?

Did someone talk to the customer?
Did they leave a voicemail?
Did the customer say, “Let me think about it”?
Or has no one reached out yet?

In most systems, it’s all blended together.

And that’s where things get missed.

Don’t Mix “Doing” and “Waiting” in the Same Container

At Shop Hero, we teach a simple but game-changing principle:

Never put cards you’re waiting on and cards that are waiting on you in the same container.

Why?

Because that container becomes a black hole.

If some of those jobs need action—and some are just sitting there—you lose the ability to trust what you’re seeing.

You start asking:

• “Did I call that customer?”

• “Did anyone follow up on this one?”

• “What are we waiting on here?”

Now you're back in the business of asking, not knowing.

Split the Stage: Call Customer ≠ Waiting on Approval

Here’s how we break it down:

• Call Customer → This is your job. These are customers who haven’t been contacted yet. No voicemail, no conversation. They don’t even know what the estimate is yet.

• Waiting on Approval → This is their job. These customers have been contacted. You left a message, had a conversation, or they said, “Let me talk to my spouse and call you back.”

Two different containers.
Two different types of accountability.
Two different rules for follow-up.

And that clarity changes everything.

Why This Matters

When you separate these stages, three things happen:

1. You know what action needs to be taken.

   • “Call Customer” = make the call.

   • “Waiting on Approval” = set a follow-up timer.

2. You can build better expectations.

   • Maybe your standard is: all estimates should be called within 15 minutes.

   • And follow-ups should happen every 2 hours until you hear back.

3. Nothing gets missed.
   Because the work isn’t hiding under vague labels.
   You’ve exposed it. And now you can lead it.

The Bigger Picture

This isn’t just about phone calls.

It’s about designing workflow that actually reflects reality.
Not just digital to-do lists. Not just what “looks clean.”

Real workflow is visual. Logical. And honest about what still needs action.

That’s what we’re building with Shop Hero.
A system where “what’s next?” is always obvious—because it’s visible.
And where no card sits forgotten in the wrong container.

So if your team is constantly wondering:

“Did we call that customer?”
“Are we still waiting on them—or are they waiting on us?”

That’s your sign.

You don’t need to work harder.
You need to split the stage.

And once you do?
You’ll never look at “waiting on approval” the same way again.