How Should Front Desk Officers Tackle Rude Outside Visitors
Your lobby creates your first impression. Some visitors may be rude or have bad intentions. Here is how you should handle those guests to avoid...
The best work reception experiences combine technology and well-trained front desk personnel. Here is how to create great first impressions every time.
Originally published by Southeast Missourian. Reposted with permission.
It is every company’s goal to have a good impression on its visitors. The front desk executive plays a very important role in the impression your organization will give to visitors because they are likely the first people to engage with them.
An efficient front desk is crucial to your company image and investing in training them to offer better services is a great idea. Here are the best ways front desk executives can be trained to offer a great experience to visitors.
Use Company Resources for Details
If you have a regular visitor at the company, it may help to know some information about them to make their wait shorter. Front desk officers can achieve this through the virtual visitor management software by Greetly.
It is a touchless visitor sign in app that enables visitors to sign themselves at the entrance or the reception while capturing the required information about them. This is impressive technology if you happen to have clients come in once in a while for consultations. It is easy to navigate and access data if you need visitor data.
Give Visitors Recognition
We all know how frustrating it is to enter a place of service and be stranded. You look around, no one is paying attention to you or attempting to guide you. This can be very disheartening. The front desk officer should make sure a guest never has to feel this way.
They should be welcoming and quick to assist them from the moment they walk through the door. A warm and good-natured front desk executive puts the visitor at ease and they feel comfortable asking for help with whatever they need. It also paints a very good picture for the company. The visitor is bound to give good reviews.
Teach Them to Know Their Guests
Knowing your visitors is a good way to provide them with a great experience. This can only be achieved through engaging in some talk with them, asking questions, and listening keenly to whatever they have to say about themselves and their lives. If a visitor enjoys a cold glass of water, make sure to offer them one as they wait at the lounge or waiting area.
Make a point to include random pieces of information they may have mentioned in the past in passing. Ask them about the outcome of their son’s baseball game they mentioned having to attend. This makes them feel special and heard. It makes a small but significant contribution to their lives.
Train Them on Task Prioritization
Front desk officers are a key factor in the coordination of tasks. They send requests from visitors to different departments. Front desk officers need to know how to prioritize these tasks depending on what the visitor needs, whether it is speed or the efficiency of the task. They need to know how to send the proper requests to the different departments and promptly respond to both the department and visitors of the outcome.
The more efficient they are on these tasks, the greater the customer satisfaction. Training them on this will have a better outcome for the company and the image it carries and will ensure a great experience for the visitors.
Dealing With Complaints From Visitors
Sadly, it is not always smiles and greetings at the front desk. Sometimes the visitors are frustrated over services and may get impolite. Front desk officers need to listen to the visitor's complaints with interest and show that they are keen to address any issues the visitors might have. They should ensure that they show positive body language and keep a neutral stance if the visitor is overly angry and not ready to listen to any requests.
Listening to the visitor with arms crossed over the chest or simply tapping a foot on the ground presents you as someone impatient, which might infuriate them further. When a front desk officer is cool and calm, visitors feel listened to. Most times, they stop being rude because their anger dissipates or simply decide that it’s pointless to further the matter.
Career Advice by Margaret Francis
In her blog, Margaret Francis writes about the job market, resume improvement, career advice, and other topics. She grew up in Cape Girardeau and has lived here for the last five years. She's a career counselor with a master's degree, a Career Management Practitioner certified by the Institute for Career Certification International, and has been recognized as a National Certified Counselor (NCC) through the National Board for Certified Counselors.