ADMINISTRATION

REVISION - BLOCK 3

RECEPTION

RECEPTION
Reception is the first area someone enters when they visit an
organisation and therefore it must create the correct impression.
Reception is where visitors judge if an organisation is efficient and worth
dealing with or whether to go elsewhere.
The receptionist should be:
polite
calm
patient
tactful
helpful
discreet
friendly
These are qualities

The receptionist will:

welcome visitors
operate the switchboard
issue visitors passes
receive mail and packages
keep the staff in/out book
and the visitors book
keep the reception tidy
fax, file and word process
These are duties

THE RECEPTION AREA

This is always located at the entrance to the workplace.
It should be bright and welcoming and should contain the following:
reception desk staffed by a receptionist
seating for visitors who must be kept waiting
toilet facilities
facilities for the disabled eg ramps etc
reading materials
tea/coffee machine
organisation chart
CCTV equipment

DEALING WITH VISITORS

Here is the procedure for dealing with visitors who call at reception:
Welcome the visitor with a friendly greeting
Ask the visitor for name and/or business card
Check the appointments diary for that
name
If the visitor has no appointment, get them to make one

if not yet free

Phone the person to see if they are free when free

ask them to wait

keep them informed

have them sign the visitors book

issue visitor a pass
give directions

MAINTAINING APPOINTMENTS
Appointments can be kept manually or electronically.
Manually, appointments are kept in an appointments book.
Electronic diary software such as Microsoft Outlook allows information
to be stored, shared and amended.
It can also be integrated with e-mail and
room booking records.
The advantages of an electronic diary are:
it is more easily amended
problems such as double booking are automatically highlighted
the diaries of several people can be co-ordinated without difficulty
the diary and appointments records can be accessed from home

HOW THE RECEPTIONIST COMMUNICATES

The receptionist must be able to contact staff using a variety of methods.
telephone/switchboard

mobile telephone

tannoy

pocket pager

The receptionist may need to use the following phone services:

Directory Enquiries
International Operator
last number redial
emergency services operator
advice of duration and charge - to tell you how much a call costs
creating an index of stored phone numbers
reverse charges

SECURITY
Many security measures take place at reception such as:
monitoring CCTV cameras
issuing security/visitors badges
insisting that all visitors sign the visitors book
maintaining the controlled entry eg entry phone on the main door
maintaining swipe card access procedures
Security incidents can occur at reception such as:
dealing with aggressive visitors
dealing with a suspicious parcel
the unauthorised entry of a person

Now answer the following questions in sentences on paper.

1 Why is it important to give a good impression at reception?
2 List 3 qualities which a receptionist should have.
3 List 3 duties normally done by a receptionist.
4 What happens if a visitor arrives without an appointment?
5 If visitors must be kept waiting, what should be done?
6 What are the 2 methods of maintaining appointments
7 What are the 2 advantages of keeping an electronic diary?
8 How can reception contribute to maintaining security?
9 Name a security problem which the receptionist could face.
10 Write down how you would deal with this security problem.
Now check your answers with the solution and note your score.

PROBLEM SOLVING
Answer the following on paper please.
The following issues have been raised by the receptionist.
Indicate how each of these problems can be solved.
1 No-one knows who is in the building and who is not.
2 Deliveries are often left in reception for long periods.

3 The receptionist has difficulty contacting staff when necessary

4
5
6
7

Too many visitors want to be seen without an appointment.

People are sometimes double booked with appointments.
There are long spells during the day with nothing to do.
Staff make appointments and dont tell the receptionist.

8 Visitors often get impatient when asked to wait.

Now check your answers with the solution and note your score.