Why Train Your Receptionist? - [website] Published: 20th of May 2011 by: (c) Staff Training Reporter
We all have a few pet peeves, some quite common, like people who’re always late or who stand too a bit too close in the supermarket checkout...
... and some are a bit more obscure, like people who wear spandex when they really shouldn’t.
One of my biggest pet peeves would have to be when I phone companies and am greeted with poor service, rude receptionists/operators or when I’m put on hold for inexplicably long periods of time.
And I get it, sitting with my ear glued to a phone all day, dealing with customers who probably aren’t in the greatest moods (why else would they be calling?) would also make me irritable, but, in the same way a scowling staff member in a shop would chase away customers, so too does a rude receptionist.
It irritates me because being calm in all situations, friendly and warm to callers is part of a receptionist’s job. It also irritates me because many companies ignore the need to train their receptionists and frontline staff, who may not be as clued up on telephone etiquette as the rest of us.
Investing in Receptionist Training can do much for your business, your customer’s satisfaction and your company’s image, while at the same time instilling the confidence your receptionists need to do their jobs more efficiently.
The trouble is that I’ve seen the other end of the spectrum, where receptionists are extremely professional, helpful and knowledgeable and go about their days bringing satisfaction (if not joy) to their callers through being well trained.
The difference between the two is vast and instantly noticeable and, in the case of bad receptionists, once fixed can bring a whole new, better image to the entire organisation.
It’s time we started training our staff and reaching the levels of customer service we are capable of, for the customer’s sake as well as the business’s.
