Front Desk Person as director of impressions
Who is the first person to welcome the customer to your organisation?
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How is that person managing the process of welcoming the customer to the organisation? This person is probably a junior staff. However I am describing him or her as a director of your company because of the influence they have on your customers and the image of your organisation.
You may have invested a significant amount of money in ensuring your business premise is modern, your product or service is exactly what the customer needs and you also have a team of marketers to ensure your product or service is well packaged, advertised etc.
But before the customer comes into contact with any of your staff, he or she encounters a very important staff member who through interaction with the customer may make or break the organisation.
Break the organisation
Your front desk persons could on a daily basis be breaking your organisation and all that it stands for. How do they respond to the customer? We often hear “I am the only one here so…..” If this is indeed the case, (it really should not be) it should be said in a friendly voice, not in a gruff tone, with the unspoken, “Can’t you see that I am alone here?”
Some front desk personnel display poor directional skills, that is, they do not know who is at post in the office; they do not have phone numbers of key personnel ready. Instead of blurting out I ‘don’t know,’ they should go the extra mile and make the effort to find out or let the customer know that they will get back to them very soon with the answer.
Some give out unnecessary information. When a customer asks to see Mr A, he or she replies“Oh! Mr A is not in today, he is not well at all and has gone to the hospital.” This is overkill; all that was needed was for the front person to say Mr A is not available today. In some business circles ,such information could negatively affect the share price of the company.
Make the organisation
Professional front desk persons definitely make your organisation. They display a confident positive attitude as they acknowledge and welcome customers. They make eye contact and smile. Even if they are on the phone when you approach, they signal you and direct you to a comfortable waiting area.
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They are courteous in all their interactions with you even if they got stuck in traffic or had a burst tyre on their way to work. Indeed customers do not care what type of day you are having, all they want is your best service now!
How may I help you is better than how can I help you? Your front desk person, your director of first impressions should be professionally and neatly dressed. For females ,the neckline of their blouse should not be low and revealing.
Whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, your front desk person is delivering on your image and brand.They should always be in performance mode by showing behaviours that lead to memorable experiences that help attract and retain business. How well does your front desk staff understand their very crucial roles? Do they speak and behave in ways that promote your corporate image and culture?
Do not leave the management of your company’s image and brand to chance. Train them on what to say, how to say it, how to position themselves in order to project the best image for your company in these competitive times.
The writer is with Skills Sharing Consult Ltd
email: info@shareskills.net