Transfers, hours and pausing

Virnika handles most calls on its own, but some calls belong with your team. This page explains when calls go to your staff and how you stay in control.

Where does each call go?

• A caller wants to order, during Virnika's hours
  Virnika answers and sends the order to your POS
• A caller needs a person
  Virnika transfers to your store
• Outside Virnika's hours, or Virnika is paused
  Rings your store directly
• Blocked caller ID or a landline caller
  Rings your store directly

When Virnika transfers to your staff

Virnika transfers the caller to your return-to-store number when the call needs a person. For example:

• The caller asks for a person, or presses 1 or 0.
• Allergy questions that need staff to answer.
• Reservations, large or catering orders, and other requests outside phone ordering.
• Canceling or changing an order that’s already been sent to your kitchen.
• Changes to an item that the menu doesn’t support.
• The caller is having trouble ordering.

Your specialist can also set Virnika to transfer delivery orders or cash-paying callers to staff, if you’d rather handle those yourself. We tune the transfer rules with you during setup.

What the transfer looks like

1. 1
   Virnika tells the caller it's transferring them
2. 2
   Your return-to-store line rings~30 seconds
3. 3
   No answer? Virnika tries once more~30 seconds
4. 4
   Still no answer

   The caller is asked to try again later.

Note

Make sure someone can answer the return-to-store line during your open hours. Transferred calls don’t go to voicemail.

Calls that ring your store directly

Some calls skip Virnika and go straight to your return-to-store number:

• Outside the hours Virnika is set to answer. Your specialist sets these hours with you. They can be your full open hours or just your busiest times.
• While Virnika is paused (see below).
• Callers with blocked caller ID.
• Callers on a landline. Virnika texts receipts and payment links, which landlines can’t receive, so these callers go to your staff.

When you’re closed

If someone calls while Virnika is answering but your kitchen is closed, Virnika tells them your hours. If you accept orders for later, Virnika can schedule the order for when you reopen. Holiday closures entered in your hours stop all ordering for that day.

Your store page

Your store page is a link you bookmark on a tablet at the counter. No login is needed. From it, your staff can:

• See incoming transfers with the caller’s cart, so they don’t have to start the order over.
• Pause Virnika for up to 24 hours. Calls go to your store instead, and Virnika turns back on by itself, or when you tap Resume. You’ll be asked for a reason so our team can follow up.
• Forward calls to another line until a time you choose, such as a manager’s cell phone. It turns off automatically.
• Set your prep time.

Ask your onboarding specialist for your store page link.

Testing and going live

How phone setup works