Call Forwarding Setup Guide: US & Canada

When a customer calls your Mercvox number, the AI receptionist answers immediately. It handles the conversation — booking appointments, answering questions, detecting emergencies — without any human involvement. But sometimes a caller needs to speak with a real person.

When that happens, Mercvox follows a priority chain to find the right person to connect the caller to:

1. Forwarding Phone — Your primary human contact number. This is the first number Mercvox tries when a caller requests a transfer.
2. Escalation Phone — A backup number, typically used for emergencies. If the forwarding phone isn't set, Mercvox falls back to this.
3. Owner's Staff Phone — If neither forwarding nor escalation phones are configured, Mercvox looks up the business owner's phone from the staff directory.
4. SMS Fallback — If no phone number is available at all, Mercvox sends an SMS to the business owner with the caller's details, and tells the caller someone will call them back.

This multi-layer approach ensures that no caller ever hits a dead end. Even if every phone number is unreachable, the SMS fallback captures the lead so you can follow up.

Most service businesses already have a phone number that customers know. Instead of changing your number, you can forward calls from your existing line to your Mercvox AI number. Every call will be answered by your AI receptionist instantly.

Option A: Forward from iPhone

1. Open Settings → Phone → Call Forwarding
2. Toggle Call Forwarding on
3. Tap Forward To and enter your Mercvox number (e.g., +1 647 555 0199)
4. Go back — a phone icon appears in the status bar to confirm forwarding is active

To deactivate: return to the same screen and toggle Call Forwarding off.

Option B: Forward from Android

Steps vary slightly by manufacturer, but the process is the same across Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, and others:

1. Open the Phone app
2. Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) → Settings
3. Tap Calls (or Supplementary Services on Samsung)
4. Tap Call forwarding → Always forward
5. Enter your Mercvox number and tap Enable or Turn on

Samsung Galaxy: Phone → ⋮ → Settings → Supplementary services → Call forwarding → Always forward. Google Pixel: Phone → ⋮ → Settings → Calls → Call forwarding.

Option C: Forward from Your Carrier (Canada)

If you prefer carrier-level forwarding (works on any phone, including landlines), dial these codes from the phone you want to forward:

• Rogers: Dial *21*[Mercvox number]# and press Call. Deactivate: #21#
• Bell: Dial *21*[Mercvox number]# and press Call. Deactivate: #21#
• Telus: Dial *21*[Mercvox number]# and press Call. Deactivate: #21#
• Fido: Dial *21*[Mercvox number]# and press Call. Deactivate: #21#
• Koodo: Dial *21*[Mercvox number]# and press Call. Deactivate: #21#
• Virgin Plus: Dial *21*[Mercvox number]# and press Call. Deactivate: #21#
• Freedom Mobile: Dial *21*[Mercvox number]# and press Call. Deactivate: #21#
• SaskTel: Dial *72[Mercvox number] and press Call. Wait for confirmation tone. Deactivate: *73
• Bell MTS (Manitoba): Dial *72[Mercvox number] and press Call. Deactivate: *73
• Shaw (legacy landline): Dial *72[Mercvox number] and press Call. Deactivate: *73

For conditional forwarding (only when busy or no answer), use *67*[number]# (busy) or *61*[number]# (no answer) on most carriers.

Option D: Forward from Your Carrier (United States)

• AT&T: Dial *21*[Mercvox number]# and press Call. Deactivate: #21#
• Verizon: Dial *72[Mercvox number] and press Call. Wait for confirmation tone. Deactivate: *73
• T-Mobile: Dial **21*[Mercvox number]# and press Call. Deactivate: ##21#
• US Cellular: Dial *72[Mercvox number] and press Call. Deactivate: *73
• Cricket (AT&T network): Dial *21*[Mercvox number]#. Deactivate: #21#
• Metro by T-Mobile: Dial **21*[Mercvox number]#. Deactivate: ##21#
• Mint Mobile (T-Mobile network): Dial **21*[Mercvox number]#. Deactivate: ##21#
• Visible (Verizon network): Dial *72[Mercvox number]. Deactivate: *73
• Google Fi: Manage forwarding in the Google Fi app → Phone settings → Call forwarding
• Spectrum Mobile: Dial *72[Mercvox number]. Deactivate: *73
• Xfinity Mobile: Dial *72[Mercvox number]. Deactivate: *73

Option E: Forward from a Landline

Business landlines (both US and Canada) generally support the standard forwarding codes:

• Unconditional forwarding: Dial *72[Mercvox number] and wait for confirmation tone. This forwards ALL calls.
• Forward when busy: Dial *90[Mercvox number] — forwards only when the line is in use.
• Forward when no answer: Dial *92[Mercvox number] — forwards after a set number of rings.
• Deactivate all forwarding: Dial *73

Codes may vary by local exchange carrier. Contact your landline provider if the codes above don't work.

Option F: Forward from VoIP / Business Phone Systems

• Google Voice: Settings → Calls → Forward calls → Add your Mercvox number → Verify
• RingCentral: Admin Portal → Phone System → Call Handling → Set forwarding rule to your Mercvox number
• Vonage Business: Admin → Phone Numbers → Select number → Call forwarding → Enter Mercvox number
• Ooma: My Ooma → Preferences → Call forwarding → Enable and enter Mercvox number
• Grasshopper: Settings → Extensions → Forwarding → Add Mercvox number as forwarding destination
• OpenPhone: Settings → Phone numbers → Call flow → Forward to external number
• Dialpad: Admin → Office → Call routing → Forward to external → Enter Mercvox number

Tips for a Smooth Setup

• Always use the full number with country code: +1 followed by 10 digits
• After activating forwarding, call your own number from a different phone to verify Mercvox answers
• If you use conditional forwarding (busy/no answer), your phone will ring first and Mercvox picks up only if you don't
• Unconditional forwarding is recommended — it ensures the fastest answer time for your customers
• Some carriers charge a small fee for call forwarding; check your plan details

Separate from forwarding your phone to Mercvox, you also need to tell Mercvox where to forward calls from the AI when a caller requests a human. This is configured per location in your Mercvox dashboard.

Navigate to Settings → Locations → [Your Location]. In the Contact & Routing section, you'll find two phone fields:

• Escalation Phone — The number Mercvox calls or texts during emergencies and as a transfer fallback. Use your personal mobile or a dedicated on-call number.
• Forwarding Phone — The primary number for non-emergency call transfers. This can be a landline, mobile, or office number. If you only set one number, use the escalation phone — it covers both emergency alerts and transfer fallback.

Both numbers should include the country code. For North American numbers, that means starting with +1 followed by the 10-digit number (e.g., +1 416 555 0100 for Toronto or +1 212 555 0100 for New York).

Mercvox listens for specific phrases that signal the caller wants to speak with a human. When the AI hears one of these phrases, it initiates the transfer process using the forwarding priority chain described above.

The default transfer keywords include common phrases like:

• “talk to a person”
• “speak to someone”
• “real person”
• “human”
• “operator”
• “representative”
• “talk to the owner”
• “transfer me”
• “connect me”

You can customize these in Settings → AI Receptionist → Transfer Keywords. Add industry-specific phrases your callers might use, such as “I need to talk to the plumber” or “let me speak to the electrician.”

Mercvox answers calls 24/7, but your business has set hours. The After Hours Behaviour setting in your location configuration controls what the AI does outside business hours:

• Allow Booking — The AI continues to book appointments during your available slots, even when the call comes in after hours. This is ideal for most service businesses since callers can still get a next-day appointment without waiting.
• Take a Message (Voicemail) — The AI takes a message from the caller, records their details, and notifies you. The caller cannot book an appointment. Use this if you need to vet inquiries before confirming bookings.

Both modes still detect emergencies. If a caller uses an emergency keyword after hours, Mercvox escalates immediately regardless of the after-hours setting.

When Mercvox detects an emergency — either through AI analysis of the conversation or by matching one of your configured emergency keywords — it triggers an immediate escalation:

1. An emergency alert is sent to the business owner (SMS + dashboard notification)
2. The call is flagged with an EMERGENCY outcome
3. If an escalation phone is configured, it attempts a transfer

Configure your emergency keywords in Settings → AI Receptionist → Emergency Keywords. Common examples for service businesses include:

• Plumbing: “burst pipe”, “flooding”, “water everywhere”, “gas smell”, “no hot water”
• Electrical: “sparking”, “burning smell”, “power out”, “electrical fire”, “exposed wire”
• HVAC: “no heat”, “carbon monoxide”, “gas leak”, “furnace won't start”, “freezing”

Canadian service businesses should be aware of these regulatory and practical considerations when setting up call forwarding:

CRTC & CASL Compliance

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regulates telecommunications in Canada. Mercvox handles compliance automatically — calls are answered by AI, not routed through telemarketing systems. However, any follow-up SMS messages (appointment confirmations, review requests) comply with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) because they are transactional messages triggered by the caller's own request.

Carrier Call Forwarding Codes

If you want to forward your existing business landline or mobile to your Mercvox number (so callers who dial your old number reach the AI), use these carrier-specific codes:

• Rogers: Dial *21*[Mercvox number]# to activate. Dial #21# to deactivate.
• Bell: Dial *21*[Mercvox number]# to activate. Dial #21# to deactivate.
• Telus: Dial *21*[Mercvox number]# to activate. Dial #21# to deactivate.

Bilingual Markets

In Quebec and other bilingual regions, consider adding French transfer keywords alongside English ones: “parler à quelqu'un”, “personne réelle”, “transférer”. Your AI greeting can also be customized to acknowledge both languages.

Provincial Regulations

Some provinces require licensed trades (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) to maintain emergency contact availability. Having Mercvox with a properly configured escalation phone ensures you meet these requirements even outside business hours.

US-based service businesses should consider these factors:

FCC & TCPA Compliance

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) governs automated communications in the US. Mercvox's call handling is compliant because the AI answers inbound calls initiated by the customer — not outbound robocalls. Follow-up SMS messages (confirmations, reminders) are transactional and exempt from TCPA's consent requirements for marketing messages.

Carrier Call Forwarding Codes

To forward your existing US business number to Mercvox:

• AT&T: Dial *21*[Mercvox number]# to activate. Dial #21# to deactivate.
• Verizon: Dial *72[Mercvox number] to activate. Dial *73 to deactivate.
• T-Mobile: Dial **21*[Mercvox number]# to activate. Dial ##21# to deactivate.

State Emergency Service Requirements

Many US states require licensed contractors (particularly plumbing, HVAC, and electrical) to provide emergency availability for active service contracts. With Mercvox, your AI receptionist handles the initial triage 24/7, and emergency keywords trigger immediate escalation to your on-call technician. This satisfies emergency availability requirements while reducing false alarms.

Multi-State Operations

If your business operates across state lines, you can configure separate locations in Mercvox with different forwarding numbers for each state's on-call team. Each location maintains its own escalation phone, timezone, and after-hours behavior.

Based on how thousands of service calls flow through Mercvox, here are the practices that lead to the best outcomes:

• Always configure an escalation phone. Even if you rarely get emergencies, having a reachable number means Mercvox can always connect urgent callers to a human.
• Use “Allow Booking” for after-hours. Most service businesses convert more leads when callers can book immediately, even at 10 PM. The AI books into your next available slot automatically.
• Add industry-specific transfer keywords. Beyond the defaults, add phrases your customers actually use: “I need someone now”, “this is urgent”, “can someone come today”.
• Test your forwarding chain monthly. Call your Mercvox number, say “transfer me”, and verify the call reaches your forwarding phone. Do this after any number changes.
• Update numbers when staff changes. If your on-call technician changes, update the escalation phone in your location settings immediately.
• Configure per-location for multi-location businesses. Each location can have its own forwarding and escalation numbers, timezone, and after-hours behavior. Route Toronto calls to your Toronto team and Vancouver calls to your Vancouver team.

If call forwarding isn't working as expected, check these common issues:

• Call not forwarding when caller requests transfer: Verify that a forwarding or escalation phone is set in your location settings. If both are empty, Mercvox falls back to SMS — which means the caller hears “someone will call you back” instead of being connected.
• Transfer keyword not triggering: Check that the exact phrase is in your transfer keywords list. Mercvox matches based on the phrases you configure, so “talk to someone” won't match if you only have “speak to someone”.
• Voicemail mode not capturing messages: Ensure your after-hours behaviour is set to “Take a message” and that your business hours are correctly configured in the Hours section of your location settings.
• SMS fallback not sending: The SMS fallback requires at least one staff member marked as the owner with a phone number on file. Check your staff list in location settings.
• Forwarding to wrong number: Remember the priority chain — Mercvox tries forwarding phone first, then escalation phone, then owner phone. If your forwarding phone is set to an old number, update it in location settings.

If you're still having issues, contact Mercvox support. We can check your call logs and forwarding configuration to identify the problem.