How to answer “Do you have this in stock?” calls quickly from your catalogue
Sado AI team · · 4 min read
In short
A customer who calls to ask “do you have this in stock?” is ready to buy. To answer fast and right, you need a catalogue: name, model, price, status (in stock, few left, to order) and an alternative. If stock changes quickly, give the status rather than an exact number and offer to hold the item. If it’s out, offer an alternative or add the caller to a “we’ll call when it arrives” list. An AI operator answers from the catalogue and never makes up what isn’t there.
Why the “is it in stock?” call matters
Customers often ring several stores in a row and go to the first one that says “yes, we have it”. If they hear “I don’t know, let me look” or nobody picks up, they dial the next number. So the answer must be ready for whoever takes the call: within a minute, without running to the stockroom. These calls often come in the evening and at weekends too, when people plan purchases after work.
The catalogue you need to answer
For example, for a car parts store:
| Column | Example |
|---|---|
| Name | Front brake pads |
| Fits which model | Chevrolet Cobalt, from 2013 |
| Part number or code | MD-1042 |
| Price | 185,000 so‘m |
| Status | In stock / Few left / To order, 3 days |
| Alternative | Another brand, 160,000 so‘m |
A plain Excel sheet is enough. What matters is agreeing who updates it and when, for example every morning and evening. Prices and codes are only an example.
What to say when stock changes fast
- Give the status, not a number: “We have it”, “Only a few left”, “Not now, it arrives Thursday”.
- Offer to hold it: “Shall I put one aside for you? We’ll keep it until this evening.” Pass the request to the stockroom at once.
- If the catalogue was updated yesterday, don’t promise: “I’ll check and call you back in ten minutes.”
- If the price has changed, don’t quote the old one: check the update date in the catalogue.
When it’s out of stock: keeping the customer
- Offer an alternative: another brand, colour or size.
- Say when it arrives, if you know for sure. If you don’t, don’t guess.
- Add them to a “we’ll call when it arrives” list: name, phone, item.
- On the day it arrives, call everyone on that list. They asked, so the call is expected.
Sado: Assalomu alaykum, Motor Detal store, this is Malika.
Caller: Have you got front brake pads for a Cobalt?
Sado: What year is your car?
Caller: 2016.
Sado: The original ones are out right now and arrive Thursday, 185 thousand. We have an alternative from another brand for 160 thousand. Which would you prefer?
Caller: I’ll wait for the original.
Sado: All right, you’re on the list. On Thursday, as soon as they arrive, we’ll call you and put a set aside.
An AI operator answers from the catalogue
An AI operator for online stores answers questions about price, model, delivery and availability from the catalogue you give it, in Uzbek or Russian. About an item that isn’t in the catalogue, it makes nothing up: it notes the caller’s name and what they need, says a manager will call back and creates a task. If the caller wants to buy right now, it transfers the call to a salesperson by your rule.
If you keep stock in BILLZ, MoySklad or 1C, our team connects these systems with you. Every call’s recording and transcript is in the portal, and you can ask Yordamchi “Which items did people ask about most this week?”. AI outbound calls can ring your “call when it arrives” list. Try it live or call 78 778 01 23.
Questions
Should the operator give the exact stock count?
Not necessarily. If stock changes during the day, a status of “in stock”, “few left” or “out” causes fewer mistakes. An exact number only helps if the catalogue is updated often.
What format should the catalogue be in?
A plain Excel sheet is enough: name, model, price, status and alternative. Sado’s team enters this information for the operator together with you.
If I’m not sure, can’t I just say “yes, we have it”?
No. The customer comes, finds nothing and doesn’t come back. An honest “no” with an alternative keeps their trust.
What if the caller wants to see a photo?
Note their phone number and the item code, and a manager sends a photo or link on Telegram. Sado’s operator records the request among the call’s answers, and staff see it in the portal or CRM.