Three tabs. Then, ideally, nobody has to look at them.
The Dispatch board is where a person reviews and sends briefs in the first week. After that it's where you check that the machine is running — and where you make the one decision software can't: who takes the big ticket.
Dispatch board
Dispatch · Today3:30 PM · Ortega · Service Call — No Cool · Emergency · no tech yet
4:15 PM · Whitaker · WH Replace 50gal · Research · no tech yet
The three tabs
Jobs that need a person
Briefs built for jobs with no tech assigned, or — in Manual mode — briefs waiting for someone to review and send. This is the tab that goes empty when Assign & Send is on and your software assigns cleanly.
Built and waiting on timing
The tech is set; the brief sends at assignment or at On My Way, whichever you chose in Settings.
The proof
Every row stamped sent, opened, listened. This is where you see who reads their briefs and who doesn't.
Manual mode versus Assign & Send
Manual: a person reviews and sends each brief. Assign & Send: ServiceScout assigns the tech from your software and sends automatically.
| Manual mode | Assign & Send | |
|---|---|---|
| Who assigns the tech | You, on the board | Your scheduling software — ServiceScout reads it |
| Who sends the brief | You, after reviewing it | ServiceScout, at the timing you chose |
| Best for | The first week. Building trust with your techs and learning what a brief looks like on your jobs. | Every week after. The point of the product is that nobody has to do anything. |
| Where to switch | Integrations › your software card | Integrations › your software card — Owner / Admin only |
The dispatcher's day
Once Assign & Send is on, the board is a check, not a chore.
Morning: read the Morning Brief
Anything in the fast lane — unopened briefs before visits, an integration that went quiet — is a phone call. Then look at Needs.
Needs: put closers on big tickets
A replacement estimate with no tech? Check the Dispatch Fit sheet — who's #1 on that job type, and are they free that afternoon. Never default to 'whoever's nearest' on your top job types.
Afternoon: check Sent
Anything still unopened for a visit in the next hour? Text the tech, or switch their channel to a phone call.
Reading a brief in sixty seconds
The dispatcher doesn't read the whole brief. Four things: the play (how the conversation will go), the win condition (what they want), the badges (Priority, PACE, Veteran, Storm), and whether the booking name matches the owner on record. That's enough to decide who should take it and whether it needs a note before it goes out.
Who it's for
What the owner gets
A single switch — Manual to Assign & Send — that turns ServiceScout from a tool someone runs into a thing that runs.
What the office gets
Needs, Assigned, Sent. The one decision that matters (who takes the big ticket) and the one check that matters (did they open it).
What the tech gets
Nothing. Techs never see the board; their briefs just arrive.
Questions people ask
Who can use the Dispatch board?
Owners / Admins and Dispatchers. A Dispatcher can work the board, assign and send briefs, generate briefs and read reports, but can't change setup. Technician logins see only their own briefs.
Do I have to assign techs in ServiceScout?
No. In Assign & Send, ServiceScout reads the assignment from your scheduling software. The Needs tab only fills when your software has no tech on the job yet — or when you've chosen Manual mode.
What happens if a tech is reassigned after the brief was sent?
The brief moves to the new tech and a fresh audio is made in their name. You do not re-send anything by hand.
Can I see whether the brief was opened?
Yes. Every row on the Sent tab is stamped sent, opened, and — for audio — listened. The technician's profile shows the same history.
Keep reading
See a Scout Brief built on a real appointment from your schedule.
A 30-minute walkthrough. We pick a recent sales visit, build the brief and the audio, and walk through Today's Play as if your tech were about to knock. You decide if it changes the call.