In the fast-moving world of ecommerce, speed and accuracy are paramount for enterprise retailers and technology partners. Patchworks’ Real-Time Calls enable businesses to process and exchange data instantly, ensuring smoother operations and enhanced customer experiences.

What Are Real-Time Calls?

Real-Time Calls on the Patchworks platform allow synchronous data processing through a secure callback URL. Unlike asynchronous workflows, which may involve delays, Real-Time Calls provide instant responses. This makes them ideal for time-sensitive scenarios where immediate data is essential to drive decision-making or customer interactions.

Imagine a customer at checkout, eager to complete their purchase. Real-Time Calls enable your system to instantly retrieve live shipping rates, offering accurate delivery options tailored to their needs. This eliminates frustrating delays and creates a more seamless experience.

Similarly, consider inventory availability. By integrating Real-Time Calls, retailers can perform live stock checks at the point of purchase, ensuring customers only purchase items that are genuinely available. This not only avoids disappointment but also prevents overselling, reducing logistical headaches.

For businesses with unique requirements, Real-Time Calls can also validate customer inputs or other critical data in real-time. For example, an online furniture retailer might use Real-Time Calls to confirm delivery restrictions based on a customer’s postcode before the order is placed.

How Do They Work?

Setting up Real-Time Calls is straightforward. First, you configure a process flow as you would with any other workflow, defining triggers and data manipulation steps. Next, you generate a secure callback URL to safeguard the data exchange. Within the flow, a callback shape is used to specify where the data should be returned. Once the setup is enabled and deployed, you can test the process using tools like Postman. By sending in data, you’ll see the workflow execute in real-time, returning a response instantly.

Why Use Real-Time Calls?

Real-Time Calls bring significant benefits to enterprise retailers and their technology partners. By providing immediate responses, they enhance the customer experience, streamline operations, and reduce delays in key processes. Whether it’s live shipping information, accurate inventory checks, or custom validation workflows, Real-Time Calls enable retailers to deliver a responsive, data-driven service that meets the demands of today’s consumers.

This demo only scratches the surface of what Real-Time Calls can achieve. If you’re ready to explore how this feature can transform your business operations, get in touch with our team today!