Multi-site retail chains need consistent telephony and customer experience in every store. With centralised VoIP you control IVR menus, call queues, hunt groups, opening hours & bank holidays, and call recording from head office — while stores use SIP handsets, Teams or 3CX apps. Analytics show answer rates and missed calls by region, so you can staff effectively and protect sales.
Key takeaways
- Head office control of IVR, queues, and store hunt groups for consistent call handling.
- Opening hours, bank holidays and emergency messages applied network-wide.
- Wallboards & analytics (answer rate, speed to answer, missed calls) to boost conversion.
- Call recording, PCI-aware policies and voicemail-to-email for compliance and follow-up.
- Works with Microsoft Teams Calling, 3CX, softphones and existing SIP phones.
Designing centralised call flows
We map customer journeys: sales, click-and-collect, repairs, store queries. Calls hit a branded auto-attendant (IVR), then route to regional queues or local store hunt groups. Overflow rules send calls to neighbouring stores or a duty mobile if SLAs are missed.
Opening hours, holidays & emergency messages
Manage business hours centrally with per-store overrides. Set bank holiday greetings and emergency closures (e.g. weather) in seconds. Out-of-hours goes to voicemail-to-email for next-day follow-up.
Devices, apps & training
- Teams/3CX apps for staff mobility; DECT for shop floor coverage.
- Reception handsets or sidecars where needed; quickstart guides for new starters.
- Role-based access and short training to keep adoption high.
Analytics, wallboards & QA
Head office dashboards show answer rates, wait times, abandonment and missed calls. Managers can drill down to store level and export reports. Optional call recording with retention policies supports QA and compliance.
Related guides
Recently asked questions
Can we keep existing store phone numbers?
Yes — we complete number porting in waves with temporary diverts so no calls are lost during migration.
Does this work with Microsoft Teams and 3CX?
Yes. We support Teams Calling (Direct Routing) and 3CX, plus SIP desk phones and DECT for the shop floor.
How do we handle PCI when calls take payment details?
We use PCI-aware call flows, pause/resume recording, and segment networks so POS stays isolated from voice endpoints.
Can head office see missed calls per store?
Yes — wallboards and reports show missed calls, answer rates and wait times by store and region.