Hello Ficos Merchants! Offering flexible payment options is key to capturing every possible sale. The “Cash on Delivery” (COD) feature in Ficos is a powerful tool that allows customers to place an order without paying upfront, but it’s much more than that—it’s an Order Inquiry System that opens a direct line of communication with your customer.
This guide will walk you through how to use the built-in chat to manage these inquiries, arrange payment, and understand the automated email exchanges that keep both you and your customer informed every step of the way.
Why Use the Order Inquiry System? #
Enabling “Cash on Delivery” is about more than just accepting cash. It’s about flexibility and building relationships.
- Capture More Sales: Serve customers who prefer not to use credit cards or wish to pay with other methods like mobile money or bank transfers.
- Build Customer Trust: Direct communication shows there’s a real person behind the website, which can be very reassuring for new customers.
- Clarify Order Details: Use the chat to confirm sizes, colors, or delivery instructions before you finalize the order, preventing mistakes.
- Upsell and Cross-sell: The conversation is a natural opportunity to suggest related products or special offers.
A Closer Look at the Order Inquiry Workflow #
When a customer checks out using the COD option, a specific sequence of events is triggered:
- The customer places an order on your website without payment.
- A new “Pending” order appears in your Manage Web Orders screen.
- An unread message badge appears, indicating a new conversation has started.
- You use the chat to talk to the customer and arrange payment.
- Once payment is arranged, you manually confirm the order, and it becomes a real sale.
Step 1: Identifying a New Order Inquiry #
All new COD orders will land in the “Pending” tab of your Manage Web Orders screen. You can spot them easily:
- They will have a status of “Pending Confirmation.”
- They will often have an unread message badge, because the system may generate an initial message.
Step 2: Starting the Conversation #
This is where you engage with your customer.
- Tap on the pending order to open the View Web Order screen.
- Select the Conversation tab.
- Here you will see the chat history. To start, you can send a friendly, professional message to confirm the order and explain the next steps for payment.
Pro Tip: A great opening message builds confidence. Try something like: “Hi [Customer Name], thank you for your order! To finalize it, you can pay via [Your Payment Method, e.g., M-Pesa to 12345] or we can accept cash on delivery. Please let me know what works for you!”
Step 3: Confirming the Order After Payment #
Once you have received payment or have confirmed that the customer will pay on delivery, you must manually confirm the order.
- On the View Web Order screen, go back to the Details tab.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap the Confirm Order button.
This action is final. It converts the inquiry into an official sales order, deducts the items from your inventory, and moves the order into your fulfillment workflow (ready for pickup or delivery assignment).
Understanding the Automated Email Exchanges #
Behind the scenes, Ficos sends several automated emails to keep everyone in the loop. Understanding this flow helps you know what your customer is seeing.
| Email Notification | Who Gets It & When? |
|---|---|
| New Order Inquiry | Sent to the customer immediately after they place a COD order. It lets them know their request has been received and is awaiting your confirmation. |
| New Customer Message | Sent to the store owner whenever the customer sends a new message in the chat. This ensures you never miss a reply. |
| Your Reply to Customer | Sent to the customer whenever you send a new message. This brings them back to the order page to continue the conversation. |
| Order Confirmed | Sent to the customer after you tap the “Confirm Order” button. This is their official receipt and confirmation that the order is being prepared. |
Conclusion #
The integrated chat for “Cash on Delivery” orders is a powerful feature that transforms a simple transaction into a personal interaction. By using it effectively, you can build stronger customer relationships, prevent errors, and capture sales you might otherwise miss. For more helpful tips, visit the Ficos Documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions #
Do I have to use the chat to confirm a COD order? #
While you can technically confirm the order without chatting, it is highly recommended that you communicate with the customer first. This helps prevent fraudulent or accidental orders and ensures you and the customer are aligned on the payment and fulfillment details before you commit your inventory.
What if the customer doesn't reply to my chat message? #
If a customer doesn’t respond after a reasonable amount of time, you have the option to cancel the order. Open the order, tap the “Cancel Order” button, and provide a reason (e.g., “Customer unresponsive”). This will cancel the inquiry and notify the customer via email.
Can I use the chat for orders that were already paid with Stripe? #
Yes. The chat feature is available for all online orders, including those already paid. This is useful for clarifying delivery instructions, informing the customer about a delay, or answering any questions they may have after the purchase.
Will I get a notification for a new message? #
Yes. When a customer sends you a new message regarding an order, Ficos will send you both a push notification to your phone and an email alert to ensure you don’t miss it.
Is the chat history saved? #
Absolutely. The entire conversation is permanently saved with the order. You can refer back to it at any time by opening the order details and navigating to the “Conversation” tab.
