WHAT IS LIKE TO BE A RECEPTIONIST?

Written by Sarune Bagdonaite

Receptionist is a first person who greets you and says goodbye whenever it is salon, hotel or office. The seemingly easy work could hide a lot of features and subtleties which is making this job interesting, exiting and dynamic. Even though being a receptionist can be both challenging and too much dynamic but its also very rewarding experience. So, what is like to be a receptionist? Let’s go through the main aspects of this job.

First of all receptionist is in frontline role and the most important duty of this job is to make the best first impression. As it was mention before receptionist is the first person that clients, visitors and even employees interact with. This role requires to be friendly approachable and professional at all times. Even more, receptionists can help set a tone for the entire organization with welcoming and positive attitude.

Another aspect of receptionist job is diversity of responsibilities. As you can image this job has a big variety of tasks each day. Receptionists must be skilled at multitasking. They often have to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously, such as answering phone calls, greeting visitors, and handling administrative tasks. A receptionist who is good at multitasking can help to keep the office running smoothly and efficiently. The positive outcome for this variety of tasks is that no two days are the same and it is one the reasons why this job is so interesting. Moreover, to get interact with diverse range of people daily could be very fulfilling experience especially for those who enjoy meeting new people every day. Regardless this experience, lets do not forget that receptionists are responsible for providing excellent customer service to customers and clients. They must be able to handle inquiries and complaints in a professional and courteous manner. A receptionist who is skilled in customer service can help to retain existing customers and attract new ones.

As we go through the most important aspects of receptionist work, lets analyze what is the biggest challenges of being receptionist. First one is to prioritize tasks. It is not always possible to handle every task at once, so it is important to determine which tasks are the most urgent and important. For example, answering the phone should be a high priority, as it is often the first point of contact for customers. Other tasks, such as scheduling appointments or responding to emails, can be managed later in the day when there is more time available.

Another challenge is how to manage interruptions. Receptionists are often interrupted throughout the day, which can make it difficult to manage priorities. Interruptions can come from a variety of sources, such as phone calls, visitors, or urgent tasks. To manage interruptions effectively, receptionists need to be able to quickly assess the urgency of the situation and determine whether it needs to be addressed immediately or can wait until later. They also need to be able to communicate effectively with visitors and colleagues to ensure that they are not disrupting their work.

Time management is another important skill for receptionists and lack of this skill can make this job challenging. They need to be able to manage their time effectively to ensure that they are able to complete all of their tasks each day. This involves setting priorities, creating a schedule, and managing their workload. Receptionists should also be able to identify tasks that can be delegated to others, such as administrative tasks or scheduling appointments, to free up time for more important tasks. The last challenging aspect that we could pick out is communication. Receptionists need to be able to communicate clearly and effectively with visitors, colleagues, and other stakeholders. They should also be able to listen actively and ask questions to ensure that they understand the needs of others. Clear communication can help to prevent misunderstandings and ensure that everyone is on the same page.

If we could summarize all these rewarding experience and challenges of being receptionist, we could say that receptionist is like a glue that holds everything together so it is very important for the company to support these front desk workers, in case to improve their working environment. At Blade & Razor company with our Handbook we set rules and regulations of greeting clients, communicating with costumers at the salon or on the phone. We want to be clear that client must be the main focus point for receptionist. These company rules and regulations most of the time eliminate the challenges that comes of prioritizing tasks. Also, our booking system allow clients to book appointments online in that case we decrease the load of phone calls and receptionist can more be focus on providing excellent customer service. At Blade & Razor we always notice hard working receptionist and give them a raise or offering them career opportunities. Finally, we creating a positive work environment to can help them feel valued and respected, which ultimately lead to greater job satisfaction and productivity.