Call routing, menus and hours
How do calls route between multiple locations?
With a cloud phone system, all locations sit on one platform. Each office can keep its own local number, greeting and business hours, while staff dial each other by extension, transfer calls between sites, and overflow to another office when one is busy or closed. A central number can route callers to the right branch by menu choice or by the number they dialled. Reporting covers every location together or separately.
Two common patterns
Local-first: each location advertises its own local number. Calls ring that office's group during its hours and overflow to another location or a central team when unanswered or closed. This suits clinics, dealerships and retail chains where customers think of "their" branch.
Central-first: one main number, often toll-free, answers everyone with a menu ("For our Calgary office, press 1") or an AI receptionist that asks which location the caller needs. The call is then routed to that site's group. This suits professional services and businesses that want one number on all marketing.
Both patterns can run at the same time, and many businesses use local numbers for existing customers and a central number for advertising.
What works across sites
- Extension dialling: every user has one extension on one directory, whatever office they sit in.
- Transfers: blind or warm, to any extension or group at any site.
- Overflow and time zones: a Vancouver office can cover a Halifax office after 5 pm Atlantic, and the reverse in the morning.
- Shared queues: agents in several cities can serve one support queue.
- Reporting: call analytics can be filtered by location, group or user.
Setting it up
During planning, each location is defined with its numbers, users, hours, and holiday list, and the routing between them is drawn as one map. In the admin portal, open Call Routing → Locations to adjust a site's schedule or overflow. A 3CTel specialist can make this change for you. Numbers for a new location can be ported from that site's current provider or added new, and a branch can be brought onto the system in stages so existing offices are not disturbed.
Related questions.
Can each location have a different caller ID?
Yes. Outbound caller ID can be set per user, per group or per location, so a call from the Ottawa office shows the Ottawa number. Staff who work across sites can switch caller ID from the app when needed.
What about 9-1-1 for staff at different sites?
Each user's registered service address is confirmed at setup and updated when they move. Canadian VoIP providers must provide 9-1-1 service and warn customers of its limitations; keeping each user's address current is the important part for multi-site and remote staff.
Do all locations need the same internet provider?
No. Each site connects to the cloud system over its own internet connection. What matters is that each connection has enough bandwidth and a router configured for voice, which is checked during setup.
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