You must be familiar with the term “receptionist”, right? Especially if you visit a hotel, restaurant, or company office. As the name implies, a receptionist is someone in charge of receiving guests who come, usually in the main lobby of a company or entrance. Unfortunately, this profession is often considered light because it looks relaxed and just stays in one place. Although sometimes it looks trivial, this work is actually very crucial.
Hospitality ERP systems are often used by business owners to improve their reception services. For example, managing visitors, restaurants, room reservations, events, to housekeeping is much easier with a centralized system.
In addition to using the system, the receptionist must always smile and ask about visitors’ needs. They must also always be ready. From this, that the receptionist has responsibilities, conditions, and duties that are equally important in a business. Because it is the foremost and the first thing guests will encounter. This will be the first representation of the office. Therefore, this time we will discuss the receptionist who is very important for the company.
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Table of Content
What is Receptionist
A receptionist is an employee whose job is to greet, serve, and provide information to visitors, clients, or stakeholders in a company related to the desired destination and information. The receptionist must be the first bridge to provide information between parties and guests. A receptionist functions as a receptionist in a company, office, or hotel.
Usually, the placement is in the front or lobby to provide easy access to information for guests as well as company representatives. In large companies, sometimes there is a secretary who is also a receptionist for the leader.
Educational background to become a receptionist is at least a high school or vocational high school graduate, even better if you are a hospitality graduate, while if your D3/S1 is from a hospitality management department or office administration, the receptionist salary is also very diverse, ranging from 2 million to 5 million rupiahs depending on the company. respectively.
Receptionist Things to Watch Out for
The receptionist can determine the image of a company, although there are many other factors as well. But when guests first come to the company, they will communicate with the receptionist. A receptionist must not only have a beautiful face but also a tall body. But also must have the knowledge, mature attitude, good and right behavior.
Here’s what receptionists need to pay attention to when meeting guests or clients:
- Don’t make guests wait too long
- Friendly in greeting and rebuking guests, asking guests’ needs politely, and inviting them to fill out a guest card or book.
- Pay attention to the interest of corporate guests. If the person they want to meet isn’t around or is away, ask if he or she is willing to wait
- If the leader is unable to receive guests, provide a good explanation. Don’t offend guests.
- Give equal attention to every guest and decide immediately if the guest is transferred to another section.
- Directing guests, informing and assisting the leadership in serving and making arrangements with guests.
- As a receptionist, you need to be able to keep talking and understand what is and isn’t allowed.
- Do not chew gum or snacks when dealing with guests or on the phone.
- Avoid hanging out with coworkers at the reception desk, especially if it has nothing to do with work.
- Get rid of items that are not related to work at the desk.
- Avoid wandering around the living room in slippers or an untidy appearance.
- Don’t chat or gossip with coworkers at work.
Receptionist Functions and Purpose
As a Diplomat
The receptionist functions as a diplomat who can demand to negotiate with guests. Sometimes some guests ask various questions. If they cannot find a definite answer, then they can postpone it by using kind and polite language. Guests who come of course have different intentions and goals, so the receptionist must be able to understand what the guest wants. In addition, the receptionist must also be a company representative in making decisions in accordance with existing procedures at the office or hotel.
As record holder
Guests who come also sometimes leave messages for someone. As a receptionist, you need to understand how to receive and deliver messages. As a result, messages can be both oral and written. This function requires the receptionist to be proficient in the language, spoken language, and written language according to the company’s standard operating procedures (SOP). The head manager will continue to monitor this, so the receptionist must always be prepared and professional.
As a source of knowledge
As you already know through the explanation above, guests who come will often ask various things, especially asking the whereabouts of someone at the location. Therefore, the receptionist must be a reliable source of information to provide certainty for any questions asked by guests. The receptionist is also obliged to maintain good relations between the company and other departments. Having a good relationship will facilitate the receptionist’s job as a source of information.
As a guest analyst
Another function is to analyze the various guests who come. Therefore, the receptionist must be good at providing information to guests. Because the security of privacy and company secrets must be maintained. In addition, the receptionist must also pay attention to suspicious and potentially harmful guest behavior.
As a salesperson
In an office or hotel, the receptionist can also act as a salesperson by selling each product and trying to convince customers who come. Many things can be sold, such as products, hotel rooms, merchandise, services, and much more. Use POS software to facilitate receptionist activities in making sales, payment transactions, and managing customer data in one platform.
Receptionist Responsibilities
Being on the front line puts the receptionist on several responsibilities that are almost all related to other people. Although the job looks simple, the responsibilities are not that easy. Responsibilities of a receptionist include:
- Receive incoming phone calls and connect them to the relevant departments.
- Provide information over the phone if someone asks about the company’s products or services.
- Welcome guests who come and provide information and references related to the visit.
- Arrange a meeting between guests and the company.
- Receive and research the information of visiting guests.
- Listen to guest complaints.
- Manage administrative archives with regard to guests both in and out.
- Receive and forward the incoming letter to the intended party.
Requirements to Become a Receptionist
Skills
- Technical skills are important because when serving guests, a receptionist must have the ability to use the supporting tools on his desk. Such as how to use computers and telephones and connect them to the parties concerned, as well as having knowledge about the organizational structure and the company plan.
- Personal skills are necessary in order to be able to manage his work, which is handling guests and also taking care of guests who come to the company. Therefore, a receptionist must be able to cooperate well with superiors, fellow co-workers, subordinates, and other departments. Therefore, the receptionist must have a sense of mutual help and respect. not only at work but also away from work
- Good communication skills so that you can say things in a straightforward, effective, efficient, and friendly way. so that guests do not feel disappointed even if their wishes are not fulfilled and can understand the situation through a good explanation.
Knowledge
- A receptionist must learn general abilities, as they will accept guests with various backgrounds, such as culture, ethnicity, and even country differences, and they must know the culture or how to receive such guests. The receptionist must also know the organizational structure, the duties of each position, and the company’s floor plan. International language skills must also be mastered by the receptionist.
- Special knowledge the receptionist must have, such as thoroughness, is important considering his duty is to handle the guests. In addition to welcoming arriving guests, the main task of a receptionist is his ability to sell products or services to the company. Then it is necessary to master the information about the production company.
Personality
A hotel receptionist should have a pleasant personality. They must always be ready to help guests, enjoy connecting with guests and others, and be a good listener.
- A receptionist does the same job every day. It is no wonder if you will feel bored, but boredom is the first thing to deal with. Because boredom can lead to carelessness in the receptionist’s work. For example, if you like, face a company guest with an unfriendly face.
- It must have a good nature because it must always provide the best service to every part of the company as well as to other companies. In certain companies, receptionists sometimes get the task of connecting the insides of the company via intra-company phone. In addition, it must also be friendly to other companies in order to project a good image of the company.
- The receptionist who is responsible for his work will always try to complete his duties properly and on time without having to always supervise his superiors.
- A receptionist must be able to complete his work. Although there are often additional working hours, as a form of loyalty to the company,
- Receptionists must be responsive in making decisions and quickly and appropriately handle situations in the office lobby.
Conclusion
That’s information about the importance of the receptionist for the company. For those of you who want to become a receptionist or have worked as a receptionist in a company, this article is expected to increase your knowledge about the profession. Starting from the things that need attention, functions, and goals, and responsibilities, to the requirements to become a receptionist.
You can easily monitor the incoming and outgoing guests for those of you who own the company. HashMicro Visitor Management Software with Barcode and QR Code System, so that important data such as check-in and check-out times, destinations, people looking, and others can be recorded without paper.
