Holiday Call Routing for South African Businesses
2025-11-19 16:35:50
Hosted PBX & Microsoft Teams
Published on 18/11/2025 by Daisy Business Solutions Content Team
Summary:
Set holiday call routing once and avoid missed calls. Add South African public holidays and any shutdown days, attach a short greeting, then choose where calls go: queue, voicemail, or an on-call mobile. In Microsoft Teams this lives under Voice → Holidays; in most PBX systems it sits under Business Hours, Holidays or Time Conditions.
Why Holiday Routing Matters During the Festive Season
South African businesses face multiple public holidays in December, and many run with reduced staffing or close entirely between Christmas and New Year. Without intentional holiday routing, calls ring endlessly, customers receive no guidance, and after-hours teams are interrupted unnecessarily.
Holiday routing prevents this by providing customers with updated information, consistent handling and predictable outcomes, whether you use Microsoft Teams, a Hosted PBX, or an on-premise system.
December includes several public holidays, and most offices shift to reduced hours. Unmanaged routing creates SLA risk, missed leads and frustrated callers.
A simple holiday plan provides:
- A single, controlled list of dates
- A clear, short greeting
- A predictable routing path (queue, voicemail or on-call mobile)
- A repeatable structure that administrators can use each year
Configuring Holiday Routing in Microsoft Teams
How do I set holiday call routing in Microsoft Teams?
Holiday settings sit under Voice → Holidays within the Teams admin centre.
The approach is straightforward:
1. Load South African public holidays
Include:
- All official SA public holidays
- Any additional office shutdown days (for example, an extended closure between Christmas and New Year)
- Any December half-day schedules, if you use them
- Any internal closure days (e.g., 24 Dec–2 Jan office shutdown)
2. Attach the holiday set to all relevant call flows
Apply the same holiday schedule to every:
- Go to Voice → Auto attendants in the Teams admin centre.
- Edit your main Auto attendant and associate the correct Holiday set to its call flow.
- Do the same for any Call queues that must follow the same rules, so menus and queues behave consistently.
3. Define the holiday call flow
For each holiday period, choose a simple path:
- Play a greeting, then route to voicemail
- Play a greeting, then route to a reduced-hours queue
- Play a greeting, then transfer to an external on-call mobile
- IVR option (press 1 for emergencies, etc.), if needed
4. Test with a real external call
Validate:
- Greeting plays correctly
- Routing behaviour works
- Voicemail and notifications are received
- On-call mobiles ring with good quality
5. Assign ownership and governance
Make someone explicitly responsible for maintaining the Voice → Holidays list and scanning it before every festive season so the dates and flows are always current.
If staff use mobile apps for on-call support, verify that coverage and device behaviour are stable in the areas they’ll be located during the break.
Holiday Mode in Hosted and Premise-Based PBX Systems
How do I put a Hosted PBX into holiday mode?
PBX platforms use different labels, such as Time Groups, Time Conditions, Business Hours, or Holiday Schedules, but the logic is identical across vendors.
1. Build a holiday time group
Include:
- Create a Holiday time group or equivalent.
- All SA public holidays
- Any shutdown days or closure days the business observes
2. Configure the holiday condition
The rule should:
- Match your holiday time group
- Play the correct greeting
- Route according to the holiday plan (voicemail, micro-queue, emergency mobile)
3. Prioritise holiday conditions above standard hours
Holiday rules must be evaluated first so they override normal operating hours.
4. Upload audio and version it
Store the greeting using consistent filenames and maintain version control for audit and quick reuse.
For guidance on system-specific best fit, refer to Daisy’s Hosted and Premise-Based PBX services.
When Time Is Tight: Rapid Setup Checklist
What’s the fastest way to enable after-hours routing in South Africa?
If shutdown is imminent, prioritise these essentials:
- Create one holiday group and attach it to all inbound numbers.
- Use a short IVR: greeting → route.
- Ensure voicemail-to-email is monitored (with transcription if supported).
- Run two real mobile tests:
- One during normal hours
- One during a holiday rule window
- Align after-hours routing so it stays consistent during reduced staffing.
To make after-hours routing reliable, pair your PBX with the right business voice connectivity so inbound calls remain stable even when you shift traffic between queues, voicemail and mobiles.
Holiday Message Scripts That Reduce Callbacks
What should a holiday voicemail/IVR say for SA customers?
Keep greetings 10–12 seconds, clear and actionable.
General closure
“Thanks for calling [Company Name]. We’re closed for the public holidays and reopen on [date] at [time]. For urgent issues, press 1 for our on-call line, or email [address]. Please leave a message after the tone.”
Emergency-aware
“Thanks for calling [Company Name]. We’re closed for the public holidays and reopen on [date] at [time]. For emergencies only, press 1. For all other queries, please leave a message after the tone.”
Use a single voicemail greeting for all holiday routing and update only the dates each year.
Keep IVR menus minimal when staffing is low.
If your team needs to stay reachable on the move, explore our mobile applications with Microsoft integration so on-call staff can answer queue calls and view missed calls from their mobiles.
Continuity Options for Urgent Issues
For organisations that maintain a partial presence during holidays:
- One dedicated on-call mobile with a clear rota
- A micro-queue (2–3 agents) for premium clients
- Voicemail-to-email monitored by a shared mailbox
- Automatic failover to voicemail if the mobile is unreachable
If mobility is your main continuity method, ensure call quality is stable on mobile networks and that voicemail fallback is fully tested.
For a broader view of our telecoms solutions, including call centres, handsets and conferencing, visit our Telecoms overview page.
Key Considerations for Teams Call Queues
Call queues do support holiday logic.
Important details:
- Attach the same holiday set to each attendant and queue.
- Reduce queue ring durations during skeleton staffing.
- Avoid long hold loops; send calls to voicemail sooner.
- Align queue holiday governance with your attendant governance.
South African Holiday-Specific Requirements
- Load all SA public holidays for the current year.
- Pre-stage next year’s dates by November.
- Add full closure ranges (e.g., Christmas to New Year).
- Test via an external mobile network, not internal VoIP.
- Keep a simple change log: dates, greeting file, routing choice, and test results.
- If staff answer calls via mobile apps, verify data coverage in real locations.
Governance, Testing and Assigned Roles
Owner
- Updates dates
- Uploads audio
- Runs tests and logs results
Reception / Service Team
- Validates greeting scripts
- Confirms routing meets customer expectations
IT Administrator
- Ensures all flows reference the master holiday schedule
- Validates licensing and associated numbers
Manager
- Approves the on-call rotation and escalation paths
Testing procedure
- Before: Confirm standard business-hours routing.
- During: Enable a temporary test holiday window; call in from a mobile; verify greeting and routing.
- After: Disable the test window; confirm normal routing resumes.
- Document: Store two call recordings and a configuration screenshot.
If needed, request a callback from a PBX specialist to verify both holiday and standard routing paths.
Next Steps
Before the festive rush hits, your next step is simple: let Daisy help you lock down a clean, reliable holiday routing plan across Microsoft Teams and your Hosted PBX.
Sanity-check your current call flows, align holidays and after-hours rules across platforms, refine your greetings and scripts, and run live test calls with you so you know every customer will hear the right message and reach the right team, even when the office is closed.
Request a callback from a PBX specialist →
FAQs
How do I set holiday call routing in Microsoft Teams?
In the Teams Admin Center, add holidays under Voice → Holidays, then link them to the right Auto Attendant or Call Queue. Choose the greeting and route (queue, voicemail, or redirect), then test with a live external call to confirm the caller experience.
How do I set holiday call routing on a Hosted PBX?
In your PBX, add public holidays under Business Hours/Holidays or Time Conditions. Attach a holiday greeting and set the route to voicemail, an emergency line, or an alternate destination such as a reduced-hours queue. Verify everything with a test call while the PBX is in holiday mode.
What’s the simplest way to handle after-hours calls?
Create time-based rules so calls outside business hours go to voicemail, a closure message, a queue with fewer agents, or an on-call mobile. Make sure voicemail notifications are enabled and that someone is accountable for checking and responding to after-hours messages.
What’s the difference between a Call Queue and an Auto Attendant?
Auto Attendants play menus and route callers to the right place (for example, “Press 1 for sales, 2 for support”). Call Queues hold callers in line and ring agents. You can apply holidays to either, depending on your flow. Keep messages short and clear so callers know whether to wait, leave a message, or try another channel.
Q: How should I update holidays in Microsoft Teams each year?
Maintain a central holiday list in Voice → Holidays and link it to all relevant Auto Attendants and Call Queues. Before peak season each year, update the dates, add any new shutdown periods, and then spot-test at least two call paths to confirm the new schedule and messages are active.
What should an IVR holiday menu include?
Play a concise closure message, then offer clear options such as “Press 1 for emergencies” or “Press 2 for accounts and billing”. Route emergency calls to the on-call line and send non-urgent calls to voicemail, with voicemail-to-email enabled so they’re not missed.
How do I handle South African public holidays in my routing?
Load official South African public holidays into Teams and your PBX so routing triggers on the correct dates. Include any extra year-end closures if your office shuts between Christmas and New Year, so callers always hear an accurate message and know when you’ll reopen.
Can I forward calls to a mobile number during shutdown?
Yes. Add a time-conditioned forward to an on-call number with voicemail fallback. Share the rota internally so everyone knows who is on duty, and confirm the after-hours device has reliable coverage and battery so calls are not missed.
What should a holiday voicemail greeting say?
Clearly state your closure dates, emergency contact details, and your reopening time. Offer an email address or web form for non-urgent requests and thank the caller for their patience. Keep it calm, short, and reassuring so customers know what to expect next.
How do I enable seasonal rules alongside standard hours?
Create a seasonal schedule and ensure the holiday condition is evaluated before normal hours, so it always overrides.
How do I apply holiday logic in a PBX?
Use time-based routing: match the date, play a short message, and route to voicemail, a micro-queue or an emergency number.
How do I prepare ahead of peak season?
Pre-load dates, upload the final audio file, confirm routing order, and test two call paths.
What’s the easiest way to send calls to an on-call mobile?
Enable PBX holiday mode and set the route to an on-call mobile with voicemail fallback.
Do call queues observe holiday rules?
Yes. Attach the holiday set to both the queue and the attendant. Keep ring times short to reduce call abandonment.
Resources:
Microsoft Learn – Holidays, Auto Attendants, Call Queues
Yeastar/Grandstream – Business Hours, Holidays, Time Conditions
