What Happens to Your Calls When the Office Goes Down? Failover Explained
For many small businesses, the phone system is only tested when something goes wrong.
The NBN drops out. A storm cuts the power. The office router stops working. A handset fails just as an important customer calls.
Without a backup plan, your business number may ring in an empty office, or stop connecting altogether. Customers may hear a message, reach voicemail or simply assume nobody is available.
A cloud phone system gives you another option: call failover.
Failover means the phone system detects that the usual destination is unavailable and sends the call somewhere else. That might be a mobile app, another staff member, a different location or a nominated mobile number.
The caller still uses your normal business number. They do not need to redial or search for a personal mobile number.
What is call failover?
Think of failover as a backup route for an incoming call.
A normal call flow might look like this:
- A customer calls your main business number.
- The system rings the office phones.
- The office phones do not answer or cannot connect.
- The system follows your backup rules.
- The call moves to a mobile app, another team member or a backup number.
- Someone answers the call away from the office.
A good cloud system keeps the phone service itself outside your office. Your business number and call-routing rules are hosted in the cloud, rather than relying entirely on a phone cabinet, router or computer at your premises.
That means the office can have a problem while the phone system continues operating elsewhere.
There may be a little extra ringing while the system moves to the next destination, depending on how your rules are configured. However, the caller normally does not need to do anything differently.
What happens during an NBN or internet outage?
When the NBN or office internet goes down, desk phones connected through that internet connection may stop registering with the phone system.
Your cloud phone system may still be working normally. The problem is that the office devices cannot reach it.
This is where phone system failover to mobile can help.
Depending on your setup, incoming calls can be sent to:
- A mobile app using mobile data
- A staff member’s mobile app at home
- Another office or business location
- A nominated mobile number
- Voicemail or an answering service
Staff can answer through the business phone app without giving customers their personal numbers. They remain part of the same business call flow, with the same business identity and, where configured, the usual caller ID.
Another option is a business internet service with 4G or 5G backup. Some modems automatically switch to the mobile network when the fixed connection fails. This may allow office phones to continue working over mobile data.
It is worth checking whether your internet provider’s backup modem supports your phone setup. A mobile backup connection can be useful, but it does not replace having a mobile app or external backup destination for every situation.
The nbn network status page can help you check for known outages. Your provider should also be able to explain how calls behave when your office connection is unavailable.
What happens during a power cut?
A power outage can affect more than the lights.
Your modem, router, network switches, desk phones and on-site phone equipment may all shut down. Even if the NBN connection itself is still available, your office may not have the power needed to use it.
This is an important consideration when planning for a business phone system power outage.
A cloud phone system can keep the main phone platform operating because it is hosted away from your premises. However, the desk phones in your office will not ring if they have no power.
Calls can instead be directed to:
- Staff smartphones using the mobile app
- A manager’s mobile
- A second business location
- A nominated backup number
- Voicemail-to-email
A UPS or battery backup may keep your modem and networking equipment running for a limited period. This can be useful for short interruptions, but batteries have limits. The nbn advises that equipment connected to the NBN needs its own backup power during a blackout, and that outages can last longer than battery life. Read the nbn guidance on power outages when reviewing your business continuity plan.
For many small businesses, keeping key mobiles charged is one of the simplest backup steps.
What if one handset or device fails?
Not every outage affects the whole office.
A single desk phone may stop working because of a faulty handset, damaged cable, network issue or software problem. If calls are routed only to that device, customers may still be unable to reach the person they need.
A cloud phone system can be configured to ring more than one destination. For example:
- Ring the employee’s desk phone.
- Ring their desktop or laptop app.
- Ring their mobile app.
- Send the call to a colleague.
- Send the caller to voicemail.
This type of “find me/follow me” setup gives each call more than one chance to reach someone.
It is also useful for staff who work between the office and home. A device failure does not automatically have to become a missed customer call.
The exact options depend on your phone platform and plan. Cloud Phone Company’s features page explains how cloud calling can work across desk phones, computers, smartphones and tablets.
What if a staff member is unreachable?
Sometimes the phone system is available, but the person who normally answers is not.
They may be in a meeting, away from their desk, on leave or already handling another call. This is why good call routing should not rely on one person.
You can set the order calls ring in so that the call moves through the team. For example:
- Reception first
- Then the sales team
- Then the office manager
- Then an on-call mobile
- Finally, voicemail or an answering service
You can also use different rules during business hours, lunch breaks, evenings and weekends.
For example, after-hours calls could go directly to an on-call mobile or a voicemail inbox that is monitored by the business. During the day, calls could ring a group of staff at the same time.
The goal is not to make every person answer every call. The goal is to make sure a call has a clear next destination when the first person is unavailable.
What should your failover settings include?
A practical failover plan does not need to be complicated. Start with these settings.
1. Set the ring order
Decide which people or devices should receive calls first, second and third.
Avoid sending every call to one desk phone with no backup. A ring group or call queue can give the call several possible destinations.
2. Keep a mobile destination current
Choose at least one backup mobile number or mobile app user. Review it when staff change roles, take leave or leave the business.
Do not assume an old number is still active.
3. Use the mobile app
Install the business phone app on the smartphones of staff who may need to answer during an outage. Check that notifications are enabled and that users know how to sign in.
The app should be tested over mobile data, not only the office Wi-Fi.
4. Configure voicemail-to-email
Some calls will still arrive when nobody is available. Send voicemail notifications to an inbox that someone checks regularly.
This gives your team a way to follow up after an outage or missed call.
5. Decide who is responsible
During an outage, someone should know they are responsible for checking calls and messages. A simple rotating roster can prevent everyone from assuming that somebody else is handling it.
Test failover before you need it
A failover plan is only useful if it works in practice.
Test it several times a year and whenever you change providers, numbers, devices or staff.
A basic test can include:
- Turn off office Wi-Fi on a staff smartphone.
- Confirm the phone app is using mobile data.
- Call the main business number from another phone.
- Check whether the office phone rings first.
- Confirm that the call moves to the mobile app or backup number.
- Check the caller ID and call quality.
- Test voicemail and missed-call notifications.
- Restore the normal settings after the test.
You can also test what happens when a particular handset is unplugged or when a staff member does not answer.
Keep a short written record of the results. If the backup number is wrong or a notification is missing, it is much easier to fix during a test than during a real outage.
Know the limits of failover
Failover improves resilience, but it cannot remove every possible outage.
Mobile failover depends on:
- Mobile coverage at the staff member’s location
- A charged and working device
- Mobile data being available
- The mobile network operating normally
- Correct call-routing settings
- The phone app being installed and signed in
If a major event affects both fixed and mobile networks, calls may still be disrupted. The Australian Government’s telco tips for small businesses recommends planning ahead, considering backup services and avoiding reliance on a single form of communication.
It is also important to understand how emergency calls are handled by your phone service. A cloud phone system should not be treated as a replacement for all emergency communication arrangements. Ask your provider about your specific setup.
Call failover checklist
Use this checklist to review your business phone system:
- Is your main number hosted in a cloud phone system?
- Have you chosen the order calls should ring in?
- Is there a mobile app available for key staff?
- Is the app tested over mobile data?
- Is a current mobile number saved as a backup destination?
- Are calls routed to another person if the first person is unreachable?
- Is voicemail-to-email going to a monitored inbox?
- Are important mobiles charged and available?
- Have you checked mobile coverage at likely backup locations?
- Have you tested failover during the last few months?
- Does your team know who is responsible during an outage?
Keep answering when the office cannot
An NBN failure, power cut or faulty handset does not have to make your business phone number go silent.
With a cloud phone system, calls can move beyond the office to a mobile app, another staff member or a backup mobile number. The most important step is to set up the rules before an outage happens, and test them regularly.
Cloud Phone Company helps Australian small and medium-sized businesses with cloud phone systems, business messaging, call routing and mobile-friendly calling.
To discuss a more reliable setup, contact Cloud Phone Company or call 07 5238 8578. You can also email hello@cloudphonecompany.com.au for help planning your call failover.