When it comes to appointing reception staff it is important that you carefully consider the role that they will be undertaking. Receptionists not only show people to the Reception Chairs, like the ones you can find at www.bestbuy-officechairs.co.uk/reception-chairs/, but will also be the first face and often voice of your business. 
Image Credit
Here are our top tips for ensuring that you appoint the right reception staff.
- Job needs – the first thing you should do to find the right staff for your reception area is to define exactly what it is that you want them to do. For example, are they simply going to be meeting and greeting the public as they enter the building or are you going to ask them to answer the phones as well as booking appointment times and events space.
- Personality – now whilst you can’t be seen to ask for someone with a particular personality type in your job advertising or interview questioning, you can ask questions that will be able to highlight to you those individuals that will be able to deal with the multi-tasking that is needed as a receptionist as well as those skills that are required to be able to deal with difficult visitors as well as coping with high pressure situations.
- Communication – great communication skills are a must for anyone working in a reception environment. This is important as the receptionist is the first contact point for many visitors and potential customers and clients. These could be communicating in person, over the phone or perhaps via an enquiries email address that your receptionist are responsible for.
- Positivity – now whilst it is impossible for anyone to be happy, jolly and positive all of the time it is important that your receptionists are able to be helpful at all times. Receptionists can find themselves at the sharp end of peoples complaints and frustrations so you should ensure that you give them appropriate training in how to deal with difficult customers as well as space to be able to collect their thoughts and talk about any particularly testing and difficult situations and people that they have had to deal with in the course of their daily work.
There are many other key areas to look out for when appointing a receptionist but these four ideas will give you a good starting point to continue with. If you are struggling with the kinds of activities that a receptionist would normally undertake you could employ the services of an HR professional or use the resources available from ACAS.
