1. The order is really theirs
Numbers get typed wrongly, and sometimes someone else places an order using a friend's number. Asking this first saves the rest of the call.
"Did you place this order yourself?"
USE CASE For online stores that ship cash on delivery
COD Order Confirmation: 6 checks before dispatch
COD order confirmation is a short phone call made before a cash-on-delivery order is shipped, to check that the customer really placed it and will accept it. An AI voice agent makes these calls in the customer's language and flags doubtful orders for your team, before you spend on shipping. This guide gives you the 6 checks, a ready script and a calculator for your own numbers.
- A call before the parcel leaves
- Hindi, English and 7 more languages
- Doubtful orders flagged for your team
The basics
What a COD confirmation call actually checks
When a cash-on-delivery parcel is refused or cannot be delivered, it travels back to you. This is called RTO, or return to origin, and you usually pay for the trip out, the trip back and the packing, with no sale at the end. Some of these orders can be spotted before they leave. A short call finds out whether the buyer meant the order, whether the address works and whether someone will accept it. A typical call sounds like this:
Confirmation call · Kitchen store · HinglishExample conversation
AI agentNamaste Priya ji, main [Store] se bol rahi hoon. Aapne kal ek pressure cooker order kiya tha, cash on delivery par. Kya yeh order aapka hi hai?
CallerHaan, maine hi kiya tha.
AI agentDhanyavaad. Pata hai: Flat 204, Shanti Apartments, Nashik. Kya aas-paas ka koi landmark bata sakti hain, taaki courier ko aasani ho?
CallerGanesh Mandir ke paas. Lekin main din mein office mein rehti hoon.
AI agentKoi baat nahi. Kya shaam ko ghar par koi parcel le sakta hai?
CallerHaan, shaam chhe baje ke baad.
AI agentTheek hai, maine note kar liya. Delivery par bhugtan ke liye taiyaar rahiyega. Dhanyavaad.
✓ Order confirmed✓ Landmark added✓ Delivery time noted
Want to hear this on your own leads?Leave your number and our team will call you within 24 hours to show how the AI agent would talk to your customers.
Hear one yourself
Hear a confirmation call on your own phone
Enter your number and we will set up a live AI demo call for you. Hear the voice, interrupt it, ask it questions, in Hindi or English.
- No setup needed for the demo
- Hindi, English & regional languages
- Takes 2 minutes
How it works
From new order to dispatch decision
The call sits between the order and the warehouse, and you keep the final say on what ships.
- 01The order comes inYou share new COD orders with name, number, product and address. A list upload is enough to begin, and a store link can follow after a feasibility check.
- 02The agent callsCalls go out soon after the order, inside calling hours. Orders placed at night wait for the morning.
- 03It makes the 6 checksIt speaks the customer's language and keeps the call short and about this one order.
- 04It records the resultConfirmed, details changed, wants to cancel, doubtful or not reached, each with a recording and a transcript.
- 05Your team reviews the exceptionsDoubtful orders and changes go to a person. The agent does not make the dispatch decision for you.
- 06The warehouse shipsConfirmed orders go first, with any new address or landmark already corrected.
The checks
The 6 checks before you dispatch
Each check has a reason. Together they usually take a minute or two, and any of them can be dropped if it does not matter for your products.
2. Product, size and quantity
A wrong size or an accidental double order often turns into a refusal at the door. Reading it back catches these while they can still be fixed.
"That is one pair in size 9. Is that right?"
3. Full address and landmark
A missing flat number or lane is a common reason for a failed delivery. A landmark gives the courier one more way to find the place.
"Is there a landmark near your home?"
4. Pin code and a working number
A wrong pin code can send a parcel to the wrong hub. A second number helps if the first one is switched off on delivery day.
"Is there another number the courier can call?"
5. Someone there to receive it
Buyers who work all day can miss every attempt. Knowing the best time, or who else can take the parcel, helps your team and the courier.
"Will someone be home during the day?"
6. Ready to pay on delivery
The agent states the amount due, so that it is no surprise at the door. Hesitation here is the most useful signal you will get.
"The amount to pay on delivery is [amount]. Is that fine?"
Priorities
Which COD orders to call first
Calling every order is simplest. If you would rather begin with part of your orders, start where a return hurts most or is most likely.
High-value orders
One returned parcel of a costly product can cancel out the margin on many good ones.
First-time buyers
You know nothing about them yet. People who have accepted parcels from you before can wait.
Pin codes that often return
Your own courier reports show where parcels come back most. Call these areas first.
Weak addresses
Very short addresses, or those with no flat or lane, are easy to spot in the order list.
Orders from cold ads
Impulse orders from new campaigns may need a call more than orders from people who searched for you by name.
Unusual quantities
Several units of a product most people buy once can be a typing slip, a reseller or a mischievous order.
Side by side
COD confirmation by call, message or press-1 IVR
Each has a place. Many stores send a message first and call those who do not reply, or call only higher-value orders.
| AI call | SMS or chat message | Your own staff | Press-1 IVR call | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reaches people who ignore messages | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Can fix an address on the spot | Yes, it notes the new details | Only if the buyer types it | Yes | No |
| Picks up doubt in the answer | Flags it for your team | No | Yes | No: only key presses |
| Speaks the buyer's language | 9 Indian languages | One per template | Whoever is on shift | One per recording |
| Copes with a sudden rise in orders | Many calls in parallel | Yes | Only with more people | Yes |
| Leaves a record | Recording, transcript, outcome | Reply, if any | Depends on the team | Key pressed |
| Best for | Orders worth a real check | Low-value orders | Very high-value or tricky orders | A simple yes or no |
Free tool
Work out what RTO costs you
Put in your own numbers to see what returned parcels cost each month, and what a small fall would be worth. Enter the fall you think is realistic for your store.
What RTO costs you now
- Parcels coming back each month0
- Money lost on them each month, in rupees0
- Saved each month if RTO falls by your points, in rupees0
- Confirmation calls to make each day0
The starting values are samples, so replace them with your own. This is your arithmetic, not a promise of results. Nothing is sent or saved.
Script
सीओडी कन्फ़र्मेशन कॉल की हिंदी स्क्रिप्ट
Change the names and details, and keep the same order. The first question matters most, so ask it early and leave offers out of this call.
एजेंट: नमस्ते [नाम] जी, मैं [स्टोर] से बोल रही हूँ। आपने कल [प्रोडक्ट] का ऑर्डर किया था, कैश ऑन डिलीवरी पर। क्या यह ऑर्डर आपका ही है?
ग्राहक: जी, मेरा ही है।
एजेंट: धन्यवाद। पता है: [पता]। क्या पास का कोई लैंडमार्क बता सकते हैं?
ग्राहक: [लैंडमार्क] के पास।
एजेंट: डिलीवरी पर [राशि] देने होंगे। क्या उस समय घर पर कोई रहेगा?
ग्राहक: जी, शाम को रहेगा।
एजेंट: धन्यवाद, मैंने नोट कर लिया है। आपका ऑर्डर जल्द भेजा जाएगा।
Agent: Namaste [Name] ji, main [Store] se bol rahi hoon. Aapne kal [Product] order kiya tha, cash on delivery par. Kya yeh order aapka hi hai?
Customer: Ji, mera hi hai.
Agent: Dhanyavaad. Pata hai: [Address]. Kya paas ka koi landmark bata sakte hain?
Customer: [Landmark] ke paas.
Agent: Delivery par [amount] dene honge. Kya us samay ghar par koi rahega?
Customer: Ji, shaam ko rahega.
Agent: Dhanyavaad, maine note kar liya hai. Aapka order jaldi bheja jayega.
Agent: Hello [Name], this is [Store]. You ordered [Product] yesterday, cash on delivery. Is this your order?
Customer: Yes, it is mine.
Agent: Thank you. The address is [Address]. Could you give a nearby landmark?
Customer: Near [Landmark].
Agent: The amount to pay on delivery is [amount]. Will someone be home to receive it?
Customer: Yes, in the evening.
Agent: Thank you, I have noted that. Your order will be sent soon.
Before you start
Ten points to settle before the first COD call
Most of these are decisions only you can make. Writing them down first keeps the agent and your warehouse working to the same rules.
- The order details to shareName, number, product, quantity, amount, address and pin code, in one agreed format.
- Your dispatch cut-offDecide when each day's calls must finish so the warehouse can act on them.
- What happens if nobody answersDecide how many tries to make, and whether the order ships or waits after that.
- What counts as doubtfulWrite it down: a hesitant yes, a wrong name, or "I will see when it comes".
- Who reviews doubtful ordersName one person, with enough time to do this before the cut-off.
- Who may change an addressThe agent notes the new details. Decide who updates your system and the courier.
- How a cancellation worksDecide what the agent says, and who stops the order in your system.
- The name the buyer hearsUse the store name the buyer knows, not your company's legal name.
- The main languageChoose by region if you can, and let the agent follow any buyer who switches.
- Questions that go to staffRefunds, complaints and damaged items should reach a person, not a guess.
Measuring it
How to tell if the calls are really working
Do not rely on anyone's percentage, ours included. Your own numbers will tell you, if you test it fairly.
Compare two groups
In the same weeks, call some orders and leave a similar set uncalled. Comparing this month with last month can mislead, because sales and seasons change.
Wait for parcels to finish
Count an order only when it has been delivered or returned. Early numbers look better than they are, because returns take time to come back.
Count cancellations honestly
A call can also lose a good order if it makes someone think twice. Compare delivered orders per hundred placed, not only the return rate.
Use what buyers tell you
Reasons from the calls show which ads, products and pin codes bring the most doubtful orders, which is often as useful as the calls themselves.
Getting started
Start COD confirmation calls in 4 steps
Start with part of your orders so that you can compare. Most campaigns go live in 24 hours to 7 days.
1. Share your order flow
Tell us how orders reach you, your cut-off time and what you want done with each result.
2. Approve the script
We write it with you, and the agent calls you for a test in your language.
3. Run a test group
Call part of your COD orders and leave a similar group uncalled, until the parcels finish their journey.
4. Review and widen
Compare delivered orders, read the transcripts and change what did not work, then add more orders.
Avoid these
COD calling mistakes that lose good orders
Calling too late
Fix: a call after the parcel is packed or shipped leaves little you can change. Match your calling to the dispatch cut-off.
Selling on the call
Fix: keep it about this order. An offer turns a useful check into a sales call and makes people less likely to pick up the next one.
Treating no answer as fake
Fix: plenty of real buyers miss one call. Try again at another time before you hold an order.
Sounding suspicious
Fix: the tone should be "helping your parcel reach you", not "proving you are genuine". Good buyers should feel looked after.
Ignoring what you learn
Fix: if one ad or pin code keeps failing the checks, change it. Calling alone will not fix a bad source of orders.
हिंदी में
सीओडी कॉल क्यों ज़रूरी है, आसान शब्दों में
जब कैश ऑन डिलीवरी का पार्सल वापस आता है, तो शिपिंग और पैकिंग का ख़र्च आपको उठाना पड़ता है और बिक्री भी नहीं होती। इसलिए पार्सल भेजने से पहले एक छोटी-सी कॉल की जाती है, जिसमें पूछा जाता है कि ऑर्डर ग्राहक का ही है या नहीं, पता सही है या नहीं और डिलीवरी के समय कोई घर पर रहेगा या नहीं।
एआई एजेंट यह कॉल ग्राहक की भाषा में करता है और जिन ऑर्डर पर शक हो, उन्हें आपकी टीम को बता देता है। आख़िरी फ़ैसला आपका ही रहता है। शुरुआत कुछ ऑर्डर से कीजिए और देखिए कि कॉल किए गए ऑर्डर में से कितने डिलीवर हुए।
Ready to try AI calling for your business?Request a demo and our team will call you within 24 hours.
FAQ
COD order confirmation: what stores ask
01What is COD order confirmation?
It is a check made before a cash-on-delivery order ships, to confirm that the customer placed it, that the address works and that someone will accept and pay for it. It can be done by call, message or IVR.
02Does a confirmation call reduce RTO?
It can help, because it catches wrong addresses, unwanted orders and people who will not be available. It will not remove every return. Test it on your own orders with a called and an uncalled group.
03When should the COD confirmation call be made?
As soon as you can after the order and before your dispatch cut-off, inside calling hours of generally 9 AM to 8 PM. Orders placed at night wait for the morning.
04What if the customer does not pick up?
You decide how many tries to make and at what times. After that, you choose whether such orders ship or wait, and our team can set this up either way.
05Is a call better than an SMS or chat message?
A call reaches people who ignore messages, and it can fix an address or pick up doubt. A message costs less effort for low-value orders. Many stores use both.
06Can the AI agent change the delivery address?
It notes the new address or landmark and passes it to your team, so that your system and courier can be updated. Direct updates can be looked at after a feasibility check.
07Can the agent cancel an order?
It records that the customer wants to cancel and passes this on, so your team can stop the order. You decide what it should say first.
08Does it work with my online store?
You can begin with a list of orders in a sheet. A direct link to your store or order system is possible after a feasibility check.
09Which languages can it use?
English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali and Malayalam. Each campaign has a main language, and the agent follows a customer who switches.
10How does it handle a sudden rise in orders?
Many calls can run in parallel, so a sale day does not need extra staff for calling. Plan your dispatch cut-off around the extra volume.
11How do I start COD confirmation calls?
Leave your number in the form on this page to hear a call. Then share your order flow and cut-off time. Most campaigns go live in 24 hours to 7 days.
The AI agent calls in English and in eight languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India: Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali and Malayalam.
Keep reading
More for online sellers
Confirmation is one call in the life of an order. These guides cover the rest.
About Troika
Who runs your confirmation calls
Troika Tech Services has worked with Indian businesses since 2012. As an AI calling company, we set up, run and improve AI calling campaigns as a fully managed service, so your team decides and approves while ours builds and runs. You share the orders and the rules, we run the calls, and your team gets a clear result for each order.
Clients across the country use us as an AI calling company in India, and our team in Mira Road East makes us an AI calling company in Mumbai you can visit. See how our AI calling agents in Mumbai work for local businesses, read the guide to AI calling agents, or explore the wider set of AI agents we build.
Try it on your own phone
Get a call from our team within 24 hours
Enter your number and we will set up a live AI demo call for you. Hear the voice, interrupt it, ask it questions, in Hindi or English.
- No setup needed for the demo
- Hindi, English & regional languages
- Takes 2 minutes