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A receptionist is a job role which requires skill and patience.
Many people may overlook the importance of the receptionist role, but that is a huge mistake! Your receptionist is the first person visitors to your space will encounter and as a result, they need to be kind, welcoming, and they must know about the business inside out as much as possible.
This doesn’t mean they need to know the ins and outs, but it does mean they need to know the hierarchy of those who work there and what they do, as well as the basics of what the business provides.
In order to be a quality receptionist, you need to have certain traits. Check out this video to highlight a few, before we talk about them in more detail.
The Ability to Smile, Even When You Don’t Feel Like it
A receptionist needs to be able to put their personal mood or feelings aside and be able to smile for their visitors. This helps to create a welcoming and positive feel to the space and therefore gives the right impression to visitors.
Professional And Knowledgeable About The Business
As we just mentioned, whilst a receptionist isn’t expected to know the detailed ins and outs of the business they do need to have a certain amount of knowledge to be able to direct visitors and callers to the right person at their office desks. Having a little knowledge will also allow them to deal with small problems at the time, and avoid possible conflicts.
Positive Body Language
Whilst sitting at their reception desk or moving around the space, a receptionist needs to have positive body language which doesn’t contradict their words. This means avoiding crossing their arms over their body, making eye contact as much as possible, and leaning in slightly to the person they’re speaking to, to help them feel listened to.
Effective Communicator
In addition to understanding body language, a quality receptionist needs to be an effective communicator. This means they know that the words they say aren’t the entire story and that it sometimes comes down to the way they say it too. Understanding nonverbal communication cues is vital.
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An Understanding Nature
A quality receptionist needs to have an understanding nature and want to help people naturally. This will allow them to find out what a person’s problem is, and therefore direct them to the right person quickly and without any delay.
The Ability to Handle Difficult Customers
Conflict resolution in the workplace is a big deal, but for receptionists, there is a very real need to be able to deal with potentially angry or upset visitors to their reception desk. This may not happen much, but they need to be able to deal with it, if and when it does occur.
Staying Calm in The Moment
A quality receptionist is able to stay calm in the moment, perhaps when an angry customer comes their way, or when a problem they aren’t sure how to fix occurs. By staying calm, they can reassure the visitors that everything is under control and therefore ensure that positive impression remains intact.
A Quality Problem Solver
The ability to think on their feet and solve problems easily is a trait of a quality receptionist. Whilst they might not be able to solve all problems, they should be able to know who is best to direct the issue to at the very least.
Organised And in Control
A quality receptionist organises their workload carefully and from their position at their office chair, they are in control at all times. Even if they’re not sure what to do about something, the visitor doesn’t guess this, as their stance is professional and reassuring at all times.