The Playbook: How to Reduce RTO by 30% with COD Order Verification

For e-commerce businesses in regions where Cash on Delivery (COD) is popular, Return to Origin (RTO) due to fake orders or delivery refusals is a multi-million dollar problem. The cost of shipping a product both ways without making a sale can cripple profitability.

The solution? A simple, automated COD verification flow on WhatsApp. This playbook shows you how to set it up.

Why WhatsApp is the Perfect Tool for COD Verification

• Instant Reach: With 98% open rates, your verification message will be seen.
• Reduces Fraud: The simple act of requiring confirmation deters most non-serious buyers.
• Increases Delivery Success: A customer who has confirmed their order is psychologically more committed to accepting it.

The Step-by-Step Playbook

Step 1: Create Your Verification Template

First, you need an approved Utility template in LeadClose.

• Category: Utility
• Name: cod_order_confirmation
• Body: "Hi {{1}}, thank you for your order (#{{2}})! To confirm your Cash on Delivery order of ₹{{3}}, please tap 'Confirm' below. If you did not place this order, please tap 'Cancel'."
• Buttons:
  • Quick Reply: "Confirm Order"
  • Quick Reply: "Cancel Order"

Step 2: Set Up Your Automated Workflow

The goal is to trigger this message the moment a COD order is placed. This is best done via API integration between your e-commerce store (e.g., Shopify) and LeadClose.

The Logic:

1. New COD Order Placed: Your store's backend detects a new COD order.
2. API Call to LeadClose: Your system sends an API call to LeadClose to send the cod_order_confirmation template to the customer's phone number, populating the variables with their name, order ID, and amount.
3. Customer Replies: The customer taps a button.
4. Keyword Automation: Set up a Keyword Rule in LeadClose. If the reply is "Confirm Order," you can trigger another automation to tag the customer as COD-Confirmed in your CRM.

Step 3: Manage the Outcome

• Confirmed Orders: Your fulfillment team can now confidently ship orders from customers who have replied "Confirm Order".
• Cancelled Orders: If a customer replies "Cancel Order", the chat can be assigned to an agent to officially cancel it in your system.
• No Reply: For customers who do not reply within a set time (e.g., 6-12 hours), you can either have an agent attempt a follow-up call or automatically mark the order as "Unverified" and cancel it before it ships.

By implementing this simple verification flow, you can drastically reduce your RTO rate, save on shipping costs, and improve your bottom line.