Phone Systems for Hospitality Businesses
Take bookings without stopping service, and give after-hours callers the answers they rang for.
Industry Challenges
In a busy restaurant, café or pub, the phone usually rings at the moment the floor is fullest. A hosted phone system answers the common questions for you and routes bookings and function enquiries to someone who has time to take them.
- The phone ringing mid-service while staff are on the floor
- Function and event enquiries lost among table bookings
- Callers after closing with no one to answer
- Kitchen, bar and office, or several venues, that need to talk to each other
How Smart Phone Systems Helps
Common questions answered automatically: A short menu covers the questions you hear every night, like opening hours, parking and walk-ins, before the caller reaches staff. The greeting can also mention your online booking page, which takes some calls off the floor during service.
A separate line for functions: Function enquiries get their own menu option or number, ringing the functions coordinator’s handset or mobile app. If they’re off shift, the message is emailed with a transcript, so the enquiry isn’t left on a notepad by the register.
After-hours information: Outside trading hours, callers hear your hours and a note about bookings, then can leave a message. Seasonal hours, public holidays and private events can be scheduled in advance, and custom holiday greetings cost nothing extra.
Internal calls between areas: The kitchen, bar, office and any other venues can call each other by extension at no cost. Built-in team chat in the app suits quick messages when a call would interrupt service.
Common Setup for Hospitality Businesses
Example setup: A 60-seat restaurant with a bar, a private dining room and a small team of managers who rotate shifts.
Typical call flow: Main number → Press 1 for Opening Hours and Location → Press 2 for Table Bookings → Press 3 for Functions and Events. Table bookings ring the front-of-house cordless handset, then the duty manager’s mobile app.
Useful features: Auto attendant with recorded information, time-based routing, holiday schedules, voicemail to email, cordless handset, team chat.
Why Choose Smart Phone Systems
Hospitality hours aren’t 9 to 5, and our phones are answered 8am-10pm, 7 days. Our Pakenham team sets up greetings, number porting, call flows and staff training for you, and seasonal hours and holiday greetings are free. No lock-in contracts, no licence fees, unlimited national landline and mobile calls with each extension, and the first month free for new customers.
FAQs for Hospitality Businesses
Can the greeting change on days we close early?
Yes. Tell us the date and hours and we’ll set a custom greeting at no extra charge. We can also set up a simple way for a manager to switch to the closed greeting on the day.
We take online bookings. Do we still need a phone system?
Some guests still prefer to call, especially for groups and functions. The greeting can remind other callers that online booking is available.
Can several venues share one number?
Yes. Callers can choose a venue from the menu, or each venue can keep its own number on the same system. Transfers between venues are free internal calls.
What phones work in a noisy venue?
A cordless Wi-Fi handset works well behind the bar or on the floor, and a headset helps at a busy host stand. We’ll suggest models from our pricing page that suit the space.
Ready to Stop Missing Booking Calls?
Call us or send an enquiry, tell us when your phones are busiest, and we’ll design around it.
Learn more about our business phone system features or view our pricing. Ask about our Business NBN plans for the venue, and see how a virtual receptionist greets and routes callers. To get started, call us on 03 9100 1234 or book a 15-minute chat using the link below.
