Phone systems for retail shops, restaurants and outlets

Common situations in retail and F&B

• Reservation and enquiry calls arriving during the busiest service hours.
• Several outlets, each with its own number, plus a head office or central customer-service team.
• Noisy, busy floors where staff are rarely at a fixed desk.
• Managers and area managers who move between outlets.
• Questions that repeat: opening hours, location, delivery and catering.

Design ideas we can scope with you

One central number with outlet routing

A central number can greet callers with a short menu, for example reservations, catering or corporate orders, and outlet enquiries, and send each call to the right outlet or team. Each outlet can keep its own existing number too, if it is eligible to port. Head office sees calls across all outlets in one system.

Overflow to a central team

If an outlet does not answer within a set time during service, the call can overflow to a central reservations or customer-service team, or to another outlet, instead of ringing out. A queue can hold callers with a message while staff are busy. Reports show missed calls by outlet and time of day, which helps when planning rosters.

Recorded information for routine questions

Opening hours, directions and public-holiday schedules can be played as a recorded option, so staff only pick up calls that need a person. Time-based routing can switch automatically between service hours, closed hours and public holidays.

Cordless phones and mobile apps

On a busy floor a cordless DECT handset is usually more practical than a desk phone, and managers can use the Linkus mobile app to take outlet calls from anywhere using the business number. Plan DECT base positions for kitchens, storerooms and dining areas. See IP phones and headsets.

Messaging customers

Many customers prefer to message. WhatsApp, SMS and Facebook Messenger inside the phone system's single interface are available depending on plan, so a central team can reply to messages and calls in one place. WhatsApp Business setup and any third-party fees are confirmed during scoping.

Card terminals, fax and other lines

Check every existing line before moving. Some older card terminals, alarm systems, lift phones or fax machines still use analog lines. These need a separate assessment, and may need a gateway or a separate service. Do not cancel those lines until a tested alternative is in place. See IP vs analog phones.

Network at each outlet

Each outlet needs a stable internet connection and router settings suitable for voice: QoS where available and SIP ALG disabled. Guest Wi-Fi should be kept separate from the network your phones use. Our network readiness checklist covers each point, and we test at each outlet before cutover.

Customer data and recording

If you record calls, for example reservation lines or customer complaints, tell callers, limit who can access the recordings and set a retention period that follows the PDPA and your company policy. Office plans list 500 minutes of call recording; call-centre plans include recording storage.

Choosing a package

Count extensions across all outlets and head office, and estimate peak simultaneous calls at the busiest hour. For example, LinkusPBX CP30 covers 30 extensions and 12 concurrent calls for SGD 119 per month, on an annual commitment. A central team handling many calls may suit a call-centre package. Telco, numbers and external calls are quoted per customer, and setup, hardware and porting are quoted case by case. See extensions vs concurrent calls to size your system.