When the Voice Agent Takes Orders
The voice agent checks your store's settings at the start of every call, and again just before it places the order. It only offers what your store can actually do right now — so the settings you already keep in Back Office are what control it. There is no separate switch for the phone line.
This article explains what the agent checks, what the caller hears in each case, and how to test it.
What the Agent Checks
At the start of every call the agent reads:
| Setting | Where you set it | What the agent does |
|---|---|---|
| Opening and closing times | Setup > Online Ordering > Opening Hours | Won't take an order for now outside those hours |
| Closed days | Setup > Online Ordering > Opening Hours | Won't take collection orders on a day marked closed |
| Delivery hours | Setup > Online Ordering > Delivery > Delivery Times | Gates delivery separately from the rest of the store |
| Delivery closed days | Setup > Online Ordering > Delivery > Delivery Times | Won't take delivery orders that day, but still takes collection |
| Collection Temporarily Disabled (busy mode) | Setup > Online Ordering > Collection | Stops collection orders immediately |
| Delivery Temporarily Disabled (busy mode) | Setup > Online Ordering > Delivery > Settings | Stops delivery orders immediately |
| Capacity Management | Setup > Online Ordering > Capacity Management | Stops the agent quoting a "ready in" time |
| Advance orders | Setup > Online Ordering > General Settings | Allows pre-orders when you're closed |
| Cash payments | Setup > Online Ordering > General Settings | Must be enabled for the phone line to take orders |
Note: The agent re-checks all of this immediately before placing the order. A call that starts at 10:58pm and finishes at 11:04pm will not slip an order past your closing time.
What the Caller Hears
You're open
The agent offers whatever is available. If only one order type is running, it offers only that one — a caller will never be offered delivery on a day your delivery is closed.
You're closed and pre-orders are on
The agent offers to book the order in:
"We're closed at the moment, but I can book an order in for later. We open at 4:30 pm. Would you like to do that?"
It then reads out real time slots for the next day you're open and books the order for the slot the caller picks.
You're closed and pre-orders are off
The agent apologises, tells the caller when you next open if it knows, and does not take the order.
Delivery is closed today, collection isn't
The agent takes collection orders as normal and tells the caller delivery isn't running today — including which days it's usually closed.
The caller gives a new delivery address
The agent starts with the postcode, confirms the returned street and asks for the house or building number. It reads the complete address back, including a flat or unit when given, and checks the exact location against your delivery zone. The exact-address check — not the centre point of the postcode — decides whether delivery is available and supplies the delivery charge and minimum order.
This works whether the postcode is covered by one delivery zone or several. A postcode covered by a single configured zone is still recognised as available.
If the precise address is outside your delivery area, the agent explains this and offers collection. It does not create a delivery order. If the caller corrects the house, flat or street, the agent checks the corrected address on the same cart so it does not create a duplicate order.
You've switched on busy mode
The agent stops offering that order type straight away and suggests the other one if it's available.
You're busier than usual
If capacity management thins out your time slots, the agent reads out the message your system generates — word for word — and offers the earliest slot that is genuinely achievable.
Pre-Orders
To let the voice agent take orders while you're closed:
- Go to Setup > Online Ordering > General Settings
- Set Advance orders to the number of days ahead you'll accept
- Make sure Timed orders is enabled so time slots are generated
With this on, a caller who rings after hours is offered a slot on your next open day. Without it, the agent will not promise a pre-order — it simply says you're closed.
Note: A pre-order always has a time agreed on the call. The agent will never take an order "for when you reopen" without booking a specific slot.
Stores Using Capacity Management
If you run capacity management, the agent never says "ready in about 20 minutes". Every order goes through your slot list instead, so the caller agrees a specific time before the order is placed. This keeps phone orders in step with the load your kitchen has already committed to.
Pay-at-Door Cash Is Required
Orders taken on the phone line are paid in cash when the customer collects the order or when the driver arrives. The agent does not ask for card details and cannot take a card payment during the call.
If Cash payments is disabled for your store, or the setting cannot be checked, the agent cannot take orders at all. It apologises and passes the caller to your team if a transfer number is set up. The order is not sent to the kitchen.
If you want the phone line running, keep Cash payments enabled in Setup > Online Ordering > General Settings.
Testing It
- In Back Office, switch on Delivery Temporarily Disabled in Setup > Online Ordering > Delivery > Settings
- Call your voice agent number
- The agent should offer collection only, and mention that delivery is unavailable
- Switch it back off, and mark today as Closed for collection in Setup > Online Ordering > Opening Hours
- Call again — the agent should offer delivery only, or offer a pre-order if advance orders are on
Troubleshooting
The agent took an order after we closed
Check your opening times for that day in Setup > Online Ordering > Opening Hours. The agent uses exactly what's set there. If your closing time runs past midnight, make sure it's entered as the AM time (for example 1:00 am), not as 25:00.
The agent offers delivery when delivery is off
Check Setup > Online Ordering > Delivery > Delivery Times rather than your general opening hours — delivery has its own hours and its own closed days.
The agent won't quote a ready-in time
That's expected if capacity management is on. The agent offers slots instead. Turn capacity management off if you'd rather it quoted a wait time.
The agent says it can't take orders at all
Check that Cash payments is enabled for your store. Without it, the phone line has no way to take payment.