Every business owner knows how hard it is to find good staff and when you are looking to fill a key position such as the receptionist, finding the right person can be a challenge at the best of times. If you are currently searching to fill that key receptionist position, here is some useful advice to ensure you choose the best candidate.
Self-Confident & Outgoing
The ideal person for a receptionist would be self-confident, with a friendly and outgoing personality. Visitors like to be greeted with a smiling face when they arrive and regardless of the candidate’s qualifications, they should have a friendly and approachable personality. If you would like to be sure that all your incoming calls are handled professionally, there are US based virtual receptionists who work to the client’s script, and although the virtual receptionist is remotely located, the caller would assume she is working at your offices.
Able to Work Independently
It is essential that a receptionist can work unsupervised, and once she has been fully briefed on the company, she would be able to handle the many tasks that come with the position. These include answering the phone, greeting visitors and passing on messages to the relevant people, making sure that all key personnel are always kept up to date.
Outsource Call Handling
When you factor in the cost of directly employing a qualified receptionist, outsourcing to a third-party provider makes a lot of sense. There are virtual reception providers who can answer all incoming calls in a prompt and professional manner, and while the receptionist is remotely located, this does not impact the call handling in any way. If you already have a full-time receptionist, she can certainly focus on other aspects of her job if all incoming calls are handled by a third party and when she is absent for any reason, a quick call to the virtual reception provider is enough to activate the service. Typically, the virtual receptionist provider would offer a range of services which means you only pay for the service you use.
Recognition and Reward
We are all more productive when we get recognition for a job well done, so make sure that your reception staff is constantly reminded of how important they are. If you have monthly staff meetings, don’t forget to mention how well the reception area is managed and this recognition will go a long way to ensuring that this first-rate service is ongoing.
The receptionist plays a crucial role in making sure that things are always running smoothly and such a person should be able to work unsupervised. If your staff is lacking in morale, there are articles you can check that offer some useful tips on how to boost staff morale to ensure your workers are always productive and have a positive outlook.
If you have yet to make contact with a virtual reception service provider, it might just be the solution you are looking for. Using the services of a virtual receptionist ensures that all your incoming calls are dealt with professionally and unlike directly employed staff, there are no attendance issues.
