Which of the following is not something that will help a receptionist make a good first impression?

Written by Jill / On May 16, 2022

Your reception is the face of your company. The receptionist is by definition the first person of your organisation a visitor meets in person. Needless to say this first contact is of utmost importance: it’s decisive for the first impression people get of your company.

That puts a lot of responsibility on your receptionist. A smile goes a long way, but the work of a receptionist is much more than that. Therefore it’s essential that they have excellent skills.

After two years that were dominated by the coronavirus, vacancies for receptionists are on the rise again. Most receptionists are women: last year, 85 percent of applicants for receptionist jobs were women.

If you’re looking for staff to man your reception area, you’ll want to look out for certain skills. What qualities should a good receptionist have to make your company shine?

A good first impression and an organization that runs smoothly: that’s the aim of a good receptionist. Here’s an overview of the skills every receptionist should have.

• Communication
• Multitasking
• Social skills
• Organization
• Technical skills
• Resistance to stress
• Problem solving
• Empathy
• Reliability
• Visitor management

Receptionists are always in contact with people, whether by phone, email or in person. Good communication skills are therefore at the top of the list of desirable qualities. A good receptionist is able to convey information clearly, speaks clearly and loud enough, and masters the art of non verbal communication.

2. Multitasking

On the busiest days, the phone at the front desk is ringing off the hook. Meanwhile, people may be waiting to be greeted personally. Appointments are to be made, messages to be passed on, and administrative tasks to be completed.

A receptionist is constantly juggling all kinds of tasks. It’s important they can switch between tasks smoothly, while taking into account everyone’s needs and not becoming overwhelmed or frustrated themselves.

3. Social skills

Needless to say, a receptionist must also possess quite a few social skills to build relationships with clients, colleagues and visitors. A bad experience at the reception can leave a negative impression in no time. Welcoming guests warmly and with a smile is thus a core task.

4. Organization

Looking around in an office building, the reception area is often the neatest place. And so it should be. A desk full of paperwork not only makes a bad impression on visitors, it is also a prelude of problems: documents go lost easily and data lying around is a violation on data protection rules.

The perfect receptionist is therefore highly organized. They must be able to come up with files and telephone numbers instantly. A tidy workspace is a must.

5. Technical skills

Complex phone systems, email, word processing programs and photocopiers hold no secrets for most receptionists. But in a world where everyone is going digital, being up to speed with the latest technologies is a great asset. Systems for managing rooms, smart parking and registering visitors: receptionists have to know them all.

Cold and impersonal? Too complicated? In this article we debunk the top 5 myths about digital visitor management.

6. Resistance to stress

Receptionists must have nerves of steel. They often have to work under great pressure, as they have to handle several tasks and visitors at the same time. While doing their tasks they are often interrupted by people requesting information, by a phone call or by a new visitor, and then go back to their work. Yet they must remain calm and focused.

An unsatisfied customer, a missed appointment, a visitor who is unwell… Dozens of problems can arise every day. It is the receptionist’s job to remain calm and find a solution. In emergency situations, receptionists are also often the first people who have to react and decide what to do.

8. Empathy

Every once in a while every organization faces the occasional visitor who is dissatisfied, stressed, or frustrated. To put these visitors at ease, receptionists must listen to them, be calm and empathetic, and try not to deny the problem.

9. Reliability

Because receptionists have contact with almost every customer and employee, it is very important that you can rely on them. No company can afford to have a phone call to go unanswered or to have a visitor waiting at an empty reception desk.

A receptionist must be able to work independently, be punctual, return from breaks on time, take responsibility and solve problems as they arise.

10. Visitor management

Receptionists are largely responsible for visitor management. They must keep an eye on who enters the building to ensure security. Checking in visitors and keeping track of their records is also part of their duties.

In 2022 many companies use visitor registration software. By automating the registration of visitors and the management of their data, receptionists can concentrate on their many other tasks, such as ensuring a warm welcome and creating a positive first impression.

Read how you can get started with digital visitor registration in less than 30 minutes .

Are you looking for a job as a receptionist? There are several things you can do to improve your skills to become a great receptionist.

1. Train your communication skills

As communication is key for a receptionist, it is important that you train your communication skills whenever possible. Practice your active listening skills on the telephone, paying attention to what the other person is saying and summarizing this information. You can also practice your communication during meetings with others.

2. Work on professionalism

Receptionists must maintain professionalism throughout the day. A good way to practice this is by communicating on the same professional level with everyone you meet. For example, greet the mailman with the same courtesy as an executive in your company.

When you take notes and document everything, you will be better organized and more focused on details.

4. Work on reliability

Receptionists should always be at their desk to greet customers, answer phone calls and perform other tasks. Make reliability a priority by ensuring you are always available to help.

Want to join our team? Check our current open positions at Vizito.

To get a feel of how a modern visitor management system can help your business grow, try out Vizito during a 14-day trial or chat with us to discuss how Vizito can help you improve your reception.

Got more questions? These are the 7 most common questions about digital visitor management – and our answers.

Don’t be fooled by the corporate image of a career as a receptionist – this can be an exciting career choice that will lead you on to bigger and better things! There’s so much more to being a receptionist than phone calls and emails. Consider the following;

A receptionist – the face of the company

As the receptionist, you are going to be the first point of call for any company; you will be the face of the company, the first employee that the customer has contact with at your company. If people-watching is a hobby of yours, then look no further. You get to meet and greet everyone that steps into the office, and learn a little something about them. Every staff member will know your name and you’ll know them as well, because they all pass by you on their way to their desk, so you can be sure to be in the loop in whatever company you join. Nothing happens in that office without you knowing about it and without you, the place would probably fall apart.  A good first impression really makes the difference in an organisation, and a stellar receptionist will create a welcoming, warm, professional image – a welcoming and helpful attitude is extremely important in this role.

No two days are the same!

In your job, no two days are the same. Your role will vary depending on the type of company you are employed in, though typically your workday will consist of administrative tasks, answering phone calls, greeting customers, providing information, responding to emails and creating and coordinating calendars. However, at any point you may be needed to handle detailed information regarding your company, staff and procedures. Your duties at the front desk may sometimes be high-pressure, and so you will need to be able to demonstrate the ability to multi-task and solve immediate problems. You’ll, of course, possess strong communication skills, the ability to work neatly and accurately, and the ability to work without supervision.

Endless career options and the potential to advance

The fact is, most workplaces need a receptionist and so your career options are endless. Receptionists are vital to keep the workplace running smoothly. Consider the industry you are most passionate about working in and, yes, they too will require a receptionist. You could work as a medical receptionist, a hotel receptionist, a business receptionist or even a legal receptionist. Starting your career as a receptionist in the company of your dreams can also give you a foothold into that company, allowing you to make valuable connections within the company and giving you the potential to work your way up in the company.

What do employers look for in a receptionist?

So, what do employers look for in a receptionist and how can you optimise your employment chances? Employers may prefer applicants who have some formal office education or training, and most are looking for applicants who know how to use spreadsheets, word processing software, or other industry-specific software applications. A good receptionist will demonstrate strong organisational skills, a mind for project management, along with Word, PowerPoint, Excel and bookkeeping skills. Valuable personal skills include those such as negotiation, persuasion, decision making, confidentiality, customer management and service.

As a receptionist, communication is key

The skills required of a receptionist are transferable to any workplace, and indeed any career. One of the most useful skills you will acquire and hone, while working as a receptionist, is communication. As a receptionist, your key function in the organisation will be communicating with customers and staff every day, so the ability to communicate well with other people is very important. A receptionist is accustomed to dealing with people on the telephone and face-to-face, and these skills are transferable into any roles involving people management and customer service. In fact, communications skills are essential in all job roles that involve other people.

Hone your interpersonal skills as a receptionist

Interpersonal skills are also vital to a receptionist job and a skill that will take you anywhere in any workplace. Good people skills are important because receptionists deal primarily with the public. Receptionists are expected to be professional and polite at all times, ensuring they are helpful towards their customers. They should be able to put customers at ease and remain calm, even when faced with stressful situations. They need to maintain good relationships with all their employees while also having the interpersonal skills to deliver top quality face-to-face contact with customers and visitors.

Receptionists need exceptional time management and organisational skills

Time management and organisation are also highly transferable skills of a receptionist. On any day, a receptionist will be faced with a variety of tasks that could include the standard office administration work or more complex tasks requested by staff. A good receptionist will have the uncanny ability to take messages, schedule appointments, maintain files, make appointments, and keep the office in order. This calls for a high level of multi-tasking, organisation, the ability to prioritise and time management. The ability to multi-task is a valuable skill to have, especially if you go on to work in high-pressured environments.

Work independently and with integrity

Working as a receptionist will give you a great ability to work independently. Receptionists often work alone at the front desk so the ability to work independently is among the top receptionist skills that employers look for. As such, receptionists develop the ability to think fast and come up with innovative solutions to different challenges. This ability to problem-solve and show initiative is a much-admired skill. Receptionists are also often responsible for sensitive information in the form of their customer’s personal information. With this in mind, receptionists must be trusted to protect the privacy of their clients.

Receptionists require technical hardware and software skills

Finally, there are many technical skills learned in a receptionist role that are transferable into any workplace – making it a good steppingstone to your next role. Receptionists need to be able to work with hardware systems including phones, computers, printers, and software and social media platforms. The use of such hardware and software are technical skills that are required in most roles, and will be considered highly desirable by any employer.

So, if you’re thinking this may be the career for you, get the skills and training you need by studying Certificate III in Business Administration. Contact Industry Skills Training on 1300 757 296  to discuss your training needs.