National Receptionist Day: Appreciating Your Front-of-House
They’re there as your first point of contact with your customers. They’re there when you call to make an appointment, they call you to make sure you remember to make it. Without a receptionist, there’s no way an office could go about the day to day business smoothly.
Today (May 8) is National Receptionists’ Day. Its aim is to recognize and appreciate the contribution that receptionists make to the success of a business.
Reception skills can make or break the customer experience; In fact, they can make a real difference to your bottom line.
The Importance of Reception Skills
A receptionist position seems like a simple job at first glance – Answer the phone, greet incoming guests and deliver messages to the boss. However, receptionists must be skilled at much more than answering phones and handling administrative tasks in order to be effective.
A receptionist’s positive attitude tells potential and current customers that the business is interested in them and their needs.
Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibility of a customer service receptionist is to provide customers with the best customer service possible. The receptionist job descriptions that tie in with the role of a customer service representative includes:
- Schedule Appointments for Customers
- Answer Phone Calls and Emails
- Research Answers to Customer Questions
- Diffuse Customer Complaints
A good receptionist should be tenacious, empathetic, and patient, customer service receptionists are pros at solving problems and managing irate customers.
The Importance of a Receptionist in Your Company
Often a receptionist ends up fulfilling the role of customer service representative. Why? Because when a person is upset, confused, or angry, they’re willing to unleash on the first person they come in contact with.
Some businesses require their receptionist to be their first line of contact when it comes to technology issues, too. Because they have so much familiarity with the company, they know how the technology works. At other offices, the receptionist is responsible for maintaining and updating website information and social media updates.
All-in-all, your customer’s experience could lie wholly on your receptionist and their CX skills.
Final Thoughts
How many times have you visited a company and you didn’t feel very welcomed, starting by the company receptionist? As far as first impressions go, businesses such as hotels, auto dealer service centers and professional offices typically make use of a front desk area to greet and serve customers.
This National Receptionist Day, it’s time to appreciate the small (and large) roles your front-of-house encounters on a day-to-day basis.
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Schedule A Consultation For Your Business
You can and should, see your business through your customers’ eyes. BARE’s customer experience research can provide you with critical data to make meaningful business decisions. Schedule your complimentary consultation with us here today.
