What Singaporeans are forgetting about the importance of receptionists

Receptionists are the people we meet every day, they are the first persons we encounter when we visit any company and also the people we forget after our business meetings.

Many years ago, I was doing a temporary assignment at a bank during my school vacation days. I was somehow reassigned to the reception desk to handle all walk in enquiries. It was a thankless task, especially when there was no knowledge transfers as the person before me had left without notice, I was very much left on my own.

The first day was needless to say, hectic, I was like a headless chicken. I was facing impatient customers, rushing-for-time courier men, directors arriving for meetings, requests from internal staff to handle bookings of rooms, and making arrangements for pickups, and the list goes on.

Nobody told me that receptionist role was not an easy task. Eventually, when I completed my short assignment and was ready to return to my studies, I decided to leave behind a handbook where I penned down the ‘who, what, where, when, why’ for the next person taking on my role.

The Company Ambassador
Indeed, the receptionist handles a good myriad of responsibilities, and these are things that do not fall under any definable KPI of any other staff within the organisation. But their role is no less important. Not only do they represent the image of the company that they are fronting, they play the crucial role of coordination of minute yet important details such as welcoming our guests or even just booking of rooms.

Their ability to multi-task, and meet each and every visitors’ needs with the right aptitude, whether it’s directing the right courier to the right personnel, or ushering in the directors for the meetings, is instrumental to the organisations’ reputation and they are tantamount to the company’s ambassadors.

The Impeccable Receptionist
Employers are increasingly recognising the importance of receptionist role and willing to invest in the training of their staff. I remember some years back, I was visiting a client who was working in a reputable organisation, for a meeting. The receptionist who greeted me had impeccable manners, she understood my request, executed the instruction well, and made me feel comfortable while waiting for my client.

As I observed her interactions with the other visitors, there happened to be a queue of visitors waiting behind me that day, she exhibited the same impeccable manners, friendliness, and professionalism to each visitor. In my opinion, she had made a huge impression to the visitors on the professionalism of the organisation who were there that day, at least it did for me. Subsequently, I made it a point to write to that organisation and complimented her.

Upping Organisational Empathy
As Forbes Magazine’s George Anders put it ‘Actually, It’s the people in the front of the restaurant – and behind the bar – that should command our attention.’ Regardless of your position in your organisation, organisational empathy can be upped a few notches, when you start remembering your receptionist.

Many receptionists do not feel the importance of their role or the impact and influence they have over their customers. The high turnover for this position and the difficulty in retaining staff for this role is a prevalent problem across industries.

Our receptionist deserves the same respect and empathy as any other colleagues. Compliment her when you pass by the front desk today!