Can one number serve all our stores?
What to look for
A main number with a store choice, and local numbers kept.
How Vantact handles it
Yes. A main number offers a choice of store, and each store keeps its own number.
Phone systems for retail stores
One number for every store, cordless phones on the floor, and recorded answers for hours and returns before a call reaches your staff.
What is the best phone system for a retail business in Canada?
The best phone system for a retail business in Canada with more than one store gives shoppers one number that routes to the right location, lets staff answer on cordless phones from the floor instead of running to the till, answers hours and return questions with a recorded menu option, and shows the owner which missed calls were returned. Vantact is a Canadian-owned provider that sets up and manages phone systems for multi-location retailers around exactly those needs.
What happens when a shopper calls
The call every store gets on a busy Saturday, and what the phone system does with it.
Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
A shopper calls to check if an item is in stock
Shopper calls the brand number
Asking about one item
Menu: hours and returns, or pick a store
Recorded answers for routine questions
That store's floor phones ring
DECT handsets, wherever staff are
Picks up
An associate checks the shelf
And holds it or orders it in
Nobody free
The next store or head office rings
In the order you set
What the caller does
What the phone system does
A person picks up
One number, every store
One number goes on your website, your ads and your Google listing. A menu lets shoppers pick a store, and each store keeps its own local number too. Calls you return go out from the store's own number, which matters: in a US survey, 60% of consumers had missed a call from a retailer because they didn't recognize the number.
Source: First Orion
Answer on the floor, not at the till
Staff are helping customers when the phone rings. DECT cordless phones ring wherever staff are on the floor, and if nobody at that store can answer, the call can ring another store or head office in the order you set.
One line per store compared with a Vantact phone system
Five moments in a retailer's day, on one line per store and on Vantact.
| One line per store | A Vantact phone system | |
|---|---|---|
| Your ads and website | A different number for each store | One number, with a choice of store |
| Staff on the floor | Run to the till to answer | DECT cordless phones on the floor |
| Nobody free at that store | Rings out | Rings another store or head office |
| Hours and returns questions | Staff answer every one | A recorded menu answer |
| Missed calls | Nobody knows | Missed calls report, most urgent first |
Routine questions, answered once
Hours, address, parking and return policy take up staff time on every shift. A menu option plays your recorded answer. Holiday hours and greetings can be scheduled ahead for every store at once, so Boxing Day and long weekends are set up before they arrive.
Pickup texts from the store number
Let customers know their order or special order is ready by text, from the store's own number, and let them text back.
Paging and 911 in every store
Any phone can page through the phone speakers, and a paging adapter connects to an existing overhead system. Each store's phones carry that store's 911 address, and the system can email a manager whenever 911 is dialled.
What the owner sees
The missed calls report shows which shoppers couldn't get through, whether they were called back and how fast, and who is still waiting. When a caller asks for a product the store doesn't carry, the call summary records it, so you can see what customers ask for. Coaching on each call shows what went well and what to do differently, such as offering to hold or order an item instead of just saying no. A daily brief by email covers missed calls, trends and one recommended action. AI call analytics runs on Vantact hardware in Toronto, so nothing leaves Canada.
Questions to ask any phone provider
Ask any provider these questions before you switch. Here's what to look for, and how Vantact handles each one.
Can staff answer away from the till?
What to look for
Cordless phones with coverage across the floor.
How Vantact handles it
Yes. DECT cordless phones ring wherever staff are.
Can routine questions be answered without staff?
What to look for
Recorded menu answers and scheduled holiday greetings.
How Vantact handles it
Yes. A menu option plays your recorded answers, and holiday greetings can be scheduled ahead for every store.
Does each store's 911 call show the right address?
What to look for
A 911 address per phone, not one for the whole company.
How Vantact handles it
Yes. Each store's phones carry that store's 911 address, and a manager can be emailed when 911 is dialled.
Can the owner see missed calls across stores?
What to look for
A list of missed callers and whether they were called back.
How Vantact handles it
The missed calls report shows who couldn't get through, who was called back and how fast, and who is still waiting.
Why Vantact
Set up for you
We configure the after-hours schedule, on-call routing and escalation to match how your company runs.
Month to month
No long-term contract.
Canadian calls stay in Canada
Vantact is Canadian-owned. Calls to and from Canadian numbers are carried on Canadian-owned carriers and routed within Canada.
Support when it matters
Live support runs 9 to 5 ET on business days. After hours, our emergency line is answered by on-call technicians.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best phone system for a retail business in Canada?
For a retailer with more than one store, one that routes a single number to the right location, rings cordless phones on the floor, answers routine questions with a recorded menu, and shows which missed calls were returned. Vantact sets up and manages phone systems for Canadian multi-location retailers around those needs.
Can we have one phone number for all our stores?
Yes. A main number offers callers a choice of store, and each store keeps its own local number.
Do you have cordless phones for the store floor?
Yes. DECT cordless phones ring wherever staff are on the floor.
Can we change greetings for holiday hours?
Yes. Holiday hours and greetings can be scheduled ahead, for one store or every store at once.
Can we text customers when their order is ready?
Yes. Business SMS sends texts from the store's number, and customers can reply.
Can our phones page the store?
Yes. Any phone can page through the phone speakers, and a paging adapter connects to an existing overhead system.
How does 911 work across several stores?
Each store's phones carry that store's 911 address, and the system can email a manager whenever 911 is dialled.
What does AI call analytics show a retailer?
The missed calls report, a written summary of each recorded call, coaching on each call, alerts on customers whose calls trend negative, and a daily brief by email. It runs on Vantact hardware in Toronto.
Who sets up phones across our stores?
Vantact does. Vantact configures and manages the system for every location, with live support from 9 to 5 ET on business days and an emergency line answered by on-call technicians after hours.
Is there a long-term contract?
No. Vantact service is month to month.
Talk to us about your phones
Month to month, no long term contract. Toronto based support, Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm ET.