A good delivery is more than wood that meets spec. It's a customer who receives exactly what they ordered, understands what they got, and trusts you enough to buy again next season. Here's how to make that happen consistently.
Measure before you load
Before a delivery leaves your lot, know the moisture reading of that specific batch. Don't rely on readings from when you stacked it months ago — measure freshly split pieces from the actual wood going on the truck. Moisture conditions change, and customers can verify your claim at delivery. If your number is defensible, disputes are rare.
Consistent split size matters
Customers burn in specific fireboxes with specific dimensions. Oversized splits that don't fit a standard insert, or undersized splits that leave gaps in a large firebox, create friction. Target a range of 3–6 inch face width for general residential delivery. Include a mix — some larger pieces for long burns, some smaller for easy starting — but avoid anything that requires a chainsaw to fit.
Consistency also affects volume perception. A cord of uniform splits stacks predictably. A cord of wildly variable splits can look short even when it isn't, and customers notice.
Deliver what was ordered
A full cord is 128 cubic feet of stacked wood. A half cord is 64. These are stacked measurements, not thrown-in-a-pile measurements. Thrown wood occupies 30–40% more space than stacked. If you're delivering by dump truck, the volume as dumped is not the delivered cord measurement.
Be upfront about what you're delivering — "this is a half cord, stacked it will fill approximately 4x4x4 feet" — and encourage customers to stack and measure. A customer who stacks their wood and gets what they expected is a repeat buyer. One who stacks it and thinks they got shorted is not.
Use the drop zone pin
CT Firewood Delivery lets customers pin their exact drop zone before you arrive. Check it. Delivering wood to the wrong spot — driveway instead of beside the garage, front yard instead of the backyard gate — forces the customer to move it and creates a bad experience that has nothing to do with the quality of your wood.
The delivery invoice is required — and useful
Connecticut law (CGS § 16a-243) requires a written delivery invoice for every cord sold. The invoice from CT Firewood Delivery is generated automatically and covers all required fields: quantity, species, whether the wood is seasoned, your business information, and the customer's address.
The invoice also serves you: it documents what you delivered, when, and at what spec. If a customer later claims they didn't receive seasoned wood, the invoice is your record.
Tell the customer what they're getting
A brief note — either through the platform messaging or in person — goes a long way. Tell them the moisture reading, the species, and any relevant storage advice ("this oak is at 19%, fully ready to burn — keep it covered on top and it'll stay that way"). Customers who understand what they have are less likely to complain when the wood burns the way they expected.
If the wood is toward the higher end of acceptable (say, 23–25%), say so. "This wood is seasoned but on the wetter side — you may want to let it sit another month before burning the densest pieces." That honesty builds trust. A customer who burns wood that performs exactly as described becomes a loyal customer.
After the delivery
Customers can rate their experience after delivery. A consistent record of positive ratings builds your credibility with new buyers who are choosing between dealers on price. A dealer with 20 good ratings and a moisture record to match will win on trust even at a higher price per cord.