Effective Receptionist Traits
An effective receptionist does not come by easily. A skilled receptionist is worth every penny she or he earns and employers as well as persons who choose reception work as a profession are wise to know it. The receptionist is the first person you generally see when visiting a company. The person assigned to the reception area is either a man or woman. Characteristics of an effective receptionist follow.
Generally, as the name infers, the receptionist is assigned to the company reception area: this means the individual’s personal appearance is extremely important. The receptionist should maintain nice looking nails; wear clean, pressed clothing, and wear hair pulled back, away from the face- if a woman; and, hair cut short-if a man. It is essential the visitor is pleased with the appearance of the first person he or she sees upon entering the building.
Effective receptionists pleasantly greet the client in a manner which is professional. An example of proper greeting is: “Good afternoon: How may I be of assistance?” The client may answer he or she has an appointment with a Mr. or Ms. so and so—in such case, call the proper party, letting them know their client is in the lobby right away. Look back toward the client you are assisting, and offer them to have a seat. Let them know the person they are there to see will be out to greet them shortly. If your employer makes it mandatory that you serve coffee: ask your visitor if they would care for a beverage such as coffee or tea while they wait. Ask them if they require condiments such as crème or sugar. Ask for the proper measure of each. Granted, you are not a waitress; however, bear in mind they are not providing remuneration for your hospitality as they would in a restaurant setting. You are merely acting in the manner of a good host or hostess for the corporation. The idea again is to provide a good first impression as it pertains to the corporation’s client or vendor. Bad first impressions or front office impressions get around town quickly.
Answer the phone with speed, accuracy and precision. An example of how to properly handle presentation on the phone follows: “Good morning, thank you for calling Acme Corporation: This is (your name)—how may we assist today?” You can add your own personality and style to the basic format of the greeting; as well as change ‘Good morning’ to ‘Good afternoon’ once the clock passes 12 noon. The idea is to greet the client or vendor with professional courtesy, providing a welcoming way for the person on the other end to easily state their business or the reason for the call. When you are required to take a message; then make sure you ask the caller to spell his or her last name. If you are unclear or are not certain what the person has said with respect to the message, read what it is you have written back to the caller to assure you have the details for the reason of the call correct.
If you are on the phone with a client or vendor when a client or vendor walks in the reception area and is standing at your desk; make certain you properly acknowledge the visitor’s appearance by gesturing with your hand that you will be with him or her in just a minute. Do not ignore the visitor while taking care of the call. Whatever way you find is effective in acknowledging a visitor entering the reception area; use it. In example, if you find it best to excuse yourself momentarily from the call; simply state to the visitor that you will be with him or her briefly, or as soon as you finish the call. Thank the visitor for their patience and quickly return to the call.
Above are some of the primary ways which to assume the role of an effective receptionist. The idea is to provide a good first impression (always). Work on keeping your communication skills topnotch. In doing so, you will remain a valuable human resource to the company which you work.
