An online store should consider calling a customer when completing the order requires an answer from them: delivery details are missing, custom product specifications need approval, the dispatch date has changed, or the customer has asked for a call. If the product, quantity, payment, and delivery are clear and the store can fulfill the order on the agreed terms, a message with the details and a contact for questions is enough.
A store can establish this procedure: a manager checks the order, identifies the specific question for the customer, chooses a channel that takes their preferences into account, and records the response before sending the goods for packing. A request such as “please don’t call” should be respected. If an unresolved question remains, the store can send it in writing and explain what action it can take once the customer replies.
How to decide whether a call is needed
The table below is one possible workflow for a store. The owner can adapt it to the product range, processing times, and communication channels. Contact should be based on a question whose answer affects fulfillment of the order.
| Situation | How you could contact the customer | What needs to be clarified | When to move the order to the next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickup branch, address, or recipient is missing, or the details conflict | Send a specific question. Call if the customer chose phone contact or a written clarification did not resolve the issue | City, delivery method, exact pickup location, and the recipient’s contact details | Once the manager has recorded complete and consistent delivery details |
| The delivery cost has not been agreed, or the selected method is unsuitable for the product | Send the available options and their terms; discuss them by phone if needed | Which option the customer chooses, who pays for delivery, and how its final cost will be determined | Once the delivery method and payment terms are clear and agreed |
| The product is made, assembled, or modified to order | Clarify the specifications by message or phone, then send a written summary | Dimensions, material, color, text, contents, price, lead time, and agreed advance payment | Once the customer has explicitly approved the final specifications |
| The customer asks for a call | Call at the specified time; if no time is given, follow the store’s published business hours | The question in the order comment and any details needed to fulfill it | After the consultation and recording the agreed terms |
| The customer asks not to be called | Use the written channel they specified | Only questions the store needs answered to fulfill the order | Immediately if everything is clear; after a written reply if clarification is needed |
| Standard product, all details supplied, terms clear, product in stock | Send a message confirming that the order has been accepted for processing and giving the planned dispatch date | Additional confirmation of purchase intent is usually unnecessary | After the store’s internal check of the product, delivery, and payment |
| Product is unavailable, the lead time has changed, a defect is found, or a substitute is offered | Explain the specific change and offer options; choose a channel that respects the customer’s preferences | Whether the customer agrees to wait, change the product, or choose another fulfillment option | Once the changed terms have been approved |
This approach can also be used for cash-on-delivery orders. If the details are complete and the store has agreed to this payment method, cash on delivery alone does not create a question that must be discussed by phone. At the same time, full prepayment does not resolve an incorrect address, a stock shortage, or the need to approve custom specifications.
In Prom’s “How to buy a product” instructions, the customer enters their details, adds a comment if needed, and confirms the order in the cart. The seller processes and dispatches the order, while the customer can track its status in their account. These instructions do not require a phone call to confirm every order.
What to check before contacting the customer
Delivery: identify the specific missing detail
The manager should first compare the city, address or pickup branch, delivery method, and recipient’s contact details. If the customer gave the city and carrier but omitted the pickup branch, ask specifically for the branch. Requesting all the details again slows processing and can lead to another mistake.
For a large or heavy product, the store can separately check whether the selected delivery method is suitable. If the exact cost is not yet known, the manager should explain who determines it, who pays, and when the customer will receive the final amount. Clearly label an estimated cost as an estimate.
Hypothetical example: A product costs UAH 900, and a preliminary delivery estimate is UAH 350. The total is UAH 1,250 if there are no other charges. The manager can give both amounts and state that UAH 350 is an initial delivery estimate. If the store has not yet confirmed the rate, it should not present UAH 1,250 as the final amount due.
Product details: clarify only what affects the customer’s choice
If product suitability depends on an equipment model, size, or connection method, the store can ask for the relevant specification before dispatch. For example, in a hypothetical spare-parts order, the manager asks for the device model and checks it against the product’s confirmed specifications. If compatibility cannot be verified, the manager tells the customer without making assumptions.
The product listing should describe what is included so the customer knows exactly what they will receive. If a separate component is needed for use and it is unclear from the order whether the customer already has it, the manager can ask. Add the component to the order and change the total only after the customer agrees.
Custom orders: record the final specifications
A store can set a rule that managers send custom orders to production only after all specifications have been approved in writing. The summary should state the product, dimensions, material, color, personalized text, contents, price, advance payment, and lead time. If the customer changes a specification, the manager updates the summary and checks whether the price or lead time has changed.
A phone conversation can help clarify preferences quickly, but exact text for an inscription or measurements are easier to verify in a message. The customer can see the final version, and the employee fulfilling the order receives the same details.
Customer and recipient: agree on whom to ask
If one person places the order and another receives it, the store can direct questions according to their subject. Price, substitutions, contents, and custom specifications should generally be approved by the person who placed the order. Delivery details can be confirmed with the recipient if the person who placed the order has agreed to that contact.
For a gift, the manager should find out whether they may contact the recipient and what information they may share. If the person who placed the order does not reply, it is useful to send them a written question first. Contacting the recipient automatically after an arbitrary period could reveal the gift plan.
Ready-to-use messages and call script
The following are hypothetical templates. The store can fill them in with verified order details, its business hours, and agreed timelines. Each message should name the store and order number, explain why the store is making contact, and state what the customer needs to do.
Complete order that does not need an additional call
“Hello! [Store name] has accepted order #[number] for processing: [product and quantity]. Product total: [amount]; payment method: [method]. Delivery: [carrier, city, branch or address]; delivery payment: [terms]. We plan to dispatch it on [date]. If you need to change any details, reply to this message or call us at [number].”
If the store has not yet checked stock and timing, the first message can simply confirm receipt of the order and say when the customer will receive the next update. “We’ve accepted your order for processing” should not give the impression that the parcel has already been dispatched.
Delivery details are missing
“Hello! This is [store name], contacting you about order #[number]. You selected delivery by [carrier] to [city], but did not specify a pickup branch. Please send us the branch number. Once we have it, we can prepare the shipment.”
The customer asked not to be called
“Hello! About order #[number]: the selected delivery method is unsuitable for this product because of [verified reason]. We can offer [option A and its terms] or [option B and its terms]. Please tell us which option works for you. Dispatch is paused until we hear from you.”
Approval needed for a custom order
“Here are the specifications for order #[number] to review: [product], [dimensions], [material and color], inscription ‘[exact text]’, contents [list]. Price: [amount]; advance payment: [amount]; lead time: [time]. Reply ‘Approved’ or tell us what to change. Once you approve, we’ll send the order to production.”
A call with a specific question
- Introduce yourself and explain why you’re calling. “Hello! My name is [name], and I’m calling from [store name] about order #[number] to clarify [question]. Is now a good time for a brief conversation?”
- State the verified situation. “The order lists [details], but we need [details] before we can dispatch it,” or “The planned lead time has changed to [time].”
- Ask for a decision. “Which branch would work for you?” or “Does the new lead time work for you? We can also offer [verified option].”
- Repeat the outcome. “I’ve noted: [final details]. I’ll send them in a message so you can check them.”
- State the next step. “We’ll send the order for packing,” or “We’ll wait for your written approval of the specifications.”
If the customer cannot talk, the manager can offer to send a message or record a convenient time to call back. Opening with a general “Did you place an order?” is less useful than explaining straight away what needs to be resolved.
The customer did not answer
“Hello! This is [store name]. We couldn’t reach you about order #[number]. We need to clarify [question]. Please reply here or let us know a convenient time to call. Until this is clarified, [specific action] is paused.”
As a possible internal procedure, a store can allow one call attempt followed by a written message, then schedule any further contact according to its business hours or the customer’s preference. If there are no unresolved questions, a missed call made only to confirm the order should not become a reason to delay it.
Who processes the order and how to record its status
A store can assign one manager to each order. The manager checks the details, contacts the customer, and records the decision. A stockroom employee checks actual availability, condition, and contents. The employee responsible for payment checks that funds have arrived. The owner or manager sets timelines for follow-up and procedures for orders with no response. In a small store, one person may handle several of these tasks.
The store can maintain its own order register and use the working statuses below. The manager updates the status after a check or a customer’s reply so colleagues can see what action to take next.
| Working status | What it means | Who acts next and how |
|---|---|---|
| New | The order has been received, but the check is not complete | The manager checks the product, delivery, payment, and comment |
| Clarification needed | A specific unresolved question has been identified | The manager records the question and contacts the customer |
| Awaiting reply | A request has been sent, and the customer’s decision has not yet been received | The manager records the contact time, next check, and reservation deadline |
| Approved for fulfillment | The terms are clear and the required answers have been received | The manager passes the final details to the employee responsible for picking |
| Being picked | An employee is assembling the products according to the agreed order | The stockroom employee checks the product, quantity, contents, and recipient |
| Dispatched | The parcel has been handed to the carrier | The responsible employee sends the tracking number to the customer |
| Canceled | The cancellation decision has been made and recorded | The manager checks the reservation, documents, and payment status, then arranges the next steps |
It is useful to track payment and stock reservations separately from the communication status. For example, a hypothetical order could be paid for and reserved while also marked “Awaiting reply” because the customer omitted the pickup branch. A “Paid” label alone does not mean the order is ready to dispatch.
After contacting the customer, the manager can record the order number, time, channel, reason for contact, customer’s response, changed details, and next step. A note saying “Agreed” does not tell a colleague what changed. “Customer chose branch [number] in [city]; dispatch on [date]” gives the information needed to fulfill the order.
For an order with no reply, the store can set a deadline and tell the customer in advance what will happen when it passes. Before canceling a paid order, the responsible employee should separately check the funds and arrange an agreed resolution. Releasing the stock reservation alone does not resolve the payment.
Reserving and tracking online orders in Torgsoft
In Torgsoft, you can create an order for an item that is in stock and record a prepayment. According to the reservation instructions, an employee selects the items in the “Документ → Реалізація” (“Document → Sale”) form and chooses “Прийняти замовлення” (“Accept order”). They enter the customer or contact details, the order deadline, and the agreed prepayment, save the order, and post the funds actually received. The item can be moved to a temporary warehouse. The order’s end date does not automatically return it from there, so the store should assign an employee to check overdue reservations and decide what to do with the item.
Synchronization with an online store is a paid add-on feature. The main records must be kept in Torgsoft, and connecting the website’s side of the data exchange requires help from its developer. Once configured, the exchange sends product data and imports orders. If “Резервувати товари рахунка” (“Reserve invoice items”) is enabled, the program reserves an item until the date specified in the order, or, if no date is provided, for the number of days set in the exchange settings. For the program to identify a customer by phone number, enable “Шукати клієнтів за номером телефону” (“Find customers by phone number”); the order type in the exchange file must also be marked as SaleType “1”. The manager should check whether the phone number belongs to the person placing the order or the recipient so the order can be linked to the correct customer record.
In the “Документ → Замовлення віддаленого клієнта” (“Document → Remote customer order”) form, the “Отримано” (“Received”) status means the order has been received from the online store, while “Задоволено” (“Fulfilled”) means an invoice has been created in “Торгівля з випискою рахунка” (“Trading with invoice issuance”) mode. The store must separately verify that the parcel has been handed over to the carrier. Payment must also be reconciled: because of errors in the payment settings, an invoice may be imported without the payment being posted, even when the customer has already transferred the funds. Before asking the customer to pay again, the manager should check whether the funds were actually received and whether the issue is with the payment record.
How to check whether the order process needs changes
The store can keep a simple record of contact reasons: incomplete delivery details, custom specifications, compatibility questions, a changed lead time, an out-of-stock product, or a customer request. For each case, it is useful to record whether a reply was received and how long it took to move the order to fulfillment. This can show which fields or descriptions on the website may need improvement.
Hypothetical example: Out of 120 orders, the manager contacted customers about 24. The share of orders for which customers were contacted is 24 ÷ 120 × 100% = 20%. If 15 of those 24 contacts concerned a missing pickup branch, the store could review its delivery form. These numbers do not show how much sales will increase after changing the form; they only help identify a recurring reason for clarification.
For day-to-day work, the owner can assign an employee to check orders with no response, expired reservations, and synchronization errors. Based on the review, the employee assigns the next action: send a clarification, check payment, approve a change in terms, send the goods for packing, or resolve a cancellation.
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