All sorts of businesses employ people in receptionist jobs to sit at the front desk greeting and interacting with customers. Whether it’s at a hotel, welcoming and booking in guests, or in an office environment dealing with enquiries from clients, receptionist roles can vary hugely.
They almost always involve the individual acting as something of an intermediary between the organisation and the customer, and so the receptionist can have a huge influence on the way an organisation is perceived.
This article will explain the key responsibilities that receptionists have, and provide advice to help individuals in these roles to succeed and stand out in their jobs.
5 tips and tricks to be a great receptionist.
1. receptionists are the face of the company
Receptionists have a unique level of responsibility because they are effectively the public face of the company they are working for. Receptionists deal with every visitor who enters the building, so they are responsible for generating a great first impression every time. For this reason, a positive, helpful and friendly demeanour is absolutely essential for success.
2. receptionists should be organised
Receptionists need to be well organised, and good at multi-tasking. The receptionist is often tasked with a large number of responsibilities - from answering the phones to making coffees for visitors, and reminding managers about meetings and appointments.
Other employees also need to be able to rely on the receptionist, so it's essential that they have an organised and effective system in place to ensure no task is forgotten, and no message fails to reach its intended recipient.
3. tools and tech are a receptionist's best friend.
Like most roles, receptionist jobs are becoming ever more reliant on technology and software solutions. For this reason, the best employees often make a concerted effort to keep up to date with new trends, adapting how they work in order to be successful.
Excel skills are essential, as the programme can be used for everything from recording staff attendances to working out the company's current financial situation. Software such as Dragon Dictate can also be incredibly useful for receptionists, allowing them to dictate word-processed documents quickly, easily and accurately – providing a real boost for productivity.
4. always read the situation.
A great skill for receptionists to have - that can really help them to stand out in a positive way - is the ability to assess a situation accurately. For example, if an important client is visiting, but the manager they are due to meet is behind schedule, the receptionist should recognise this, and act to engage the client in conversation, offer a drink, or attempt to provide assistance to the manager. Being proactive in this way can quickly ensure that a receptionist becomes invaluable.
5. receptionists must be multi-skilled.
The best receptionists go the extra mile to help out in any way they can, and one of the best ways to do this is to learn new and varied skills, and to use these to benefit the company. For example, receptionists usually interact with visiting clients and potential customers in an informal and relaxed manner when they arrive.
Proactive individuals can use these encounters to help the sales and marketing teams by identifying where potential customers heard about the company, and by attempting to identify what their specific business needs are. These extra skills can really help receptionists to flourish as an important team member of an organisation.
