Articles and information resource for receptionists, telephonists and reception managers.
- Problem Page
‘Aunty Penny’ is the new FOH Agony Aunt; direct from the Miss Reception Training Academy, she has over 10 years corporate reception experience and is now one of the Academy’s top trainers. Aunty Penny understands all the problems you are likely to encounter Front of House, and is on hand to share her wisdom with anyone who would like to write to her c/o info@frontofhousemagazine.co.uk
Dear Aunty Penny, I’m currently working as a receptionist for a health club, but I would really like to get a job as a corporate receptionist in the city. However, I seem to be stuck in a catch 22 situation, whereby I need corporate experience to get this kind of work, but I can’t get the experience unless I ‘temp’ which isn’t a secure situation for me. I know that I am able to groom myself immaculately to the standard required, and I know that I’m articulate, but I can’t even get an interview based on my CV. Can you suggest any way of getting my CV noticed so I can get past first base? If I could only get an interview, I just know I could sell myself. Yours hopefully, Candy Sweetie.
Dear Candy, Firstly I would like commend you for your determination and self-belief, a rarity in this day and age! Your CV is one of the most important documents you will ever possess in your life. I would start by asking those closest to you to pick it apart as their opinions will be valuable. The average employer takes between 5-8 seconds to look at your CV and you have got to grab their attention in this short space of time. Is it punchy? Does it highlight you instantly? Is it an interesting read? What do your friends and family say? Your opening statement has got to be strong, relevant and must make the reader think I must meet this girl. Stay away from the usual corny lines of ‘I can work on my own initiative as well as in a team’, the world and his receptionist says this so you need to use DRAMATIC, PASSIONATE AND POWER words to describe your personality, career aspirations and goals. As my mother used to say Candy, “If you want something that badly you are going to get it – remember my girl, there is ALWAYS a way. Think of getting work through the back door or you can call the HR departments direct, be friendly, be courteous, sound executive and let them know that CANDY is available to start work. Remember Candy, although a frightening prospect due to financial commitments, the right agency and consultant will get you an admin job which means you are getting your all important foot through the door. To your success.
Dear Aunty Penny, I recently accepted a position as a permanent corporate receptionist, working in a team of 3. I believe I was offered the position based on my experience, but also my professional outlook and ability to maintain a charming personality no matter how difficult the circumstances. However, the two girls I work with have been making nasty remarks just loud enough for me to hear, and talking to each other on email about me – making it perfectly clear they think I’m self important and stuck up – which I’m not, but I’m obviously making them feel inferior and insecure, through no fault of my own. I now have moments when I feel my professionalism is slipping due to emotions, and I’m after some advice from you as to how I should deal with this situation. I don’t want to leave, because it’ll look bad on my CV, but I don’t want to continue working in this negative atmosphere. Hoping you can share some wisdom with me. Yours, Anita Bogelli.
Dear Anita, This is an awful situation to be but I would do is look at things from a different perspective. Imagine you are at a panel interview and there are three people sitting opposite you. What I used to always do is look for the kindest pair of eyes. Believe me Amanda, one of them will be softer and will be able to show a little kindness given time. Some people are born leaders and others just like to follow the crowd. This is quite common place in reception especially when there is a team of you. You have obviously come in and shone like the Oxford Street lights and this is undoubtedly making them feel inadequate, inferior and inefficient. This is fine – keep on maintaining your professionalism but you MUST start to keep a diary of things that are occurring. I am not suggesting for any moment it will get worse but always stay on the side of caution. This will enable you to prove your point if someone senior needs to intervene as things like this are always so hard to prove. Also, although an awful prospect at this stage, you could try and befriending one of them – offer them something to eat or ask if they would like tea or coffee depending if reception allows beverages. In this way you will start to build a picture of how they think and what you need to do in order to rectify this matter. All else failing, if you are feeling brave enough you could ask them outright if there is a problem because in that way you are giving them an opportunity to put their behaviour right. Good luck and please do let me know the outcome. REMEMBER YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG AND DESERVE TO BE WHERE YOU ARE – YOU’VE EARNT IT.
Dear Aunty Penny, I have recently got my first receptionist job in a good hotel, but I’m struggling with ignorant customers – please can you advise me on dealing with such. I am an extremely polite and charming individual, and don’t understand why customers can’t respond to me in the same way; do you think it would be acceptable for me to comment in some subtle way in order to let customers know their behavior is totally inappropriate? For example, I could have a standard line, such as ‘please don’t raise your voice at me sir/madam, I only doing my best’? I look forward to your reply, Stacey Brickleigh.
Dear Stacey, Firstly Stacey you have got to remember that hotel reception is probably one of the hardest positions to handle. At then end of the day Guests always feel they are right and because they are paying money for a good service they also feel that this gives them the right to exert authority on everyone they come into contact with! A lot of this comes down to good old-fashioned manners, education and etiquette. You are doing the right thing Stacey by still remain dignified, professional and courteous. Do remember one very important thing – if your personality and character is a meek and gentle one then this will not assist you with your need to become more assertive. You need to raise your voice slightly if you are softly spoken but DO NOT match the emotion of the guest, client or colleague. You have to keep reminding yourself that this is not personal. Sometimes ‘explaining’ to a client how they are behaving can exacerbate the issue. They may not think they are behaving negatively, and a good receptionist can always determine the difference between a statement, question or objection.
- Corporate Reception Training
There are no set educational requirements for receptionists, and the majority train on the job; practical experience in tasks like greeting visitors as well as operating phone and computer systems, being the most effective way to learn.
However, more recently a new level of respect is being afforded to the powerhouse at the fore-front of any business or service; and the ‘directors of first impressions’ are now being offered the chance to train and qualify in their responsibility. It takes a very special kind of person to remain calm and unflustered in moments of extreme high pressure, and to maintain a cheerful disposition whilst keeping up the professional charm that businesses need to secure repeat custom.
Although the majority of training courses for receptionists are in the Hospitality and Tourism sector, there are now a number of videos and handbooks available, which marketing gurus claim are essential for any business wanting to get ahead of the competition.
Just about every organization has a receptionist. Sometimes, he or she is merely a guardian, a patrol designed to keep the riffraff in the lobby. Other times, though, a receptionist can change the entire tone of an interaction. If the receptionist greets just 100 people a day, that’s 20,000 people a year. Is it worth a dollar per interaction to transform all of those interactions into something spectacular? In other words, instead of hiring the cheapest person, or sticking with the existing person because it’s easier, what if you invested in a truly remarkable experience? Seth Godin, Marketing Guru
Recommended Links for Corporate Reception Training:
Reception Academy London’s Academy for elite receptionist training. T 020 7953 7796 info@receptionacademy.com
Activia Training Microsoft training UK Sage Lotus Personal Development courses.
Activia are specialists in providing quality flexible training for Microsoft Lotus Sage and Personal Development with standard or bespoke courses delivered on your premises or ours.
Barbara Hoadley – Learning and Development A Learning and Development Consultant based in Sydney, Australia.
trainingclasses.com Directory of training classes available.
Reed Learning For anyone who has or wants a front desk position
Council for Administration The CFA is the national body for Vocational Education in Business & Administration. Information about training and qualifications available in the UK.
- Calling All Managers
(Important links and information at the end of article)
How important are your receptionists? When I was a managing partner, my firm required a receptionist for our largest office. I personally reviewed 215 applications myself and created my “A list”, about 42 applicants, whom I invited for interviews late one afternoon. I asked 6 of my partners to help me and we interviewed 6 applicants each. Any WOW applicant was interviewed separately by at least two partners. Were we insane to take so much partner time on this? You decide.
For many years thereafter, we had a legendary receptionist whom clients loved on the phone and in person. I personally received an average of two positive remarks about her every week. Many of my partners and associates reported similar experiences.
I remember a call from New York one day and the lawyer started by saying: “before we get to the business at hand, I just have to tell you…”. I did not have heart to tell him “yeah, I know, you are the 100th person this year to tell me”.
By the way, I told that receptionist about every single positive comment I heard, personally or second hand (and no, that did not lead to extortion – she appreciated the recognition and the credible praise).
Cynics – who are tempted to guess that she was the winner of a beauty pageant – don’t go there – she got the job as the best applicant and got her praise on merit – her performance was awesome.
A popular facilitator, teacher and retreat speaker, Gerry Riskin is a widely recognized expert on managing professional service firms, described by The Financial Post as “Canada’s professional firm management and marketing guru, with a client base stretching from Britain to the United States.” In 1983, Gerry co-founded The Edge Group with Patrick McKenna which in January 2001, evolved into Edge International. http://www.edge.ai
So how does a person become a legendary receptionist?
As mentioned in other training articles on this site, traditionally there are no qualifications specifically for front of house work. However, we were surprised at how many courses are on offer in the UK for developing the necessary skills – some under the heading of receptionist, and others for specific areas, such as stress, dealing with angry callers, customer service skills, telephone skills and basic language skills – talk to clients in their own language! A selection of these are listed below; so receptionists who are inspired to spend some time improving their performance – send this URL to your managers!
Pitman Training London- High Holborn, Notting Hill and Paddington
A one-day seminar takes an in-depth look at the vital role of the receptionist and the important contribution they make to the successful and effective running of any business.
The course covers:
- How to make a first impression people will remember
- To review best telephone practice and learn how to direct calls correctly
- How to develop strategies for dealing with difficult people and situations
- How to receive visitors professionally
- To develop effective listening skills and focus on customer care
- How to stay motivated and be part of the company team
The vision2learn e-learning service offers free online courses leading to UK-recognised qualifications. You can study online from home or work with the support of a college tutor online.
Customer Service Skills at Work
Leads to a Level 2 NVQ in Customer Service Skills. It is ideal for people who currently work in a customer service role and want to improve and update their customer service skills to ensure that they offer the best possible service.
Practical Emotional Intelligence Skills
Emotional Intelligence – the ability to understand and control emotions, and recognize and respond to those of others – is emerging as the single most effective business skill of the new century.
Understanding your job, managing yourself, developing your communication skills and working as part of a team can help you to achieve success in any job.
For a receptionist, training to simply greet enquirers, take basic details, and switch them to the right salesperson, or to assist visitors in their own language, wins credibility.
The Professional Receptionist training course
A professional receptionist who seems pleased to talk to visitors and can sort out their problems whilst handling the demands of the ringing telephone without losing their cool is an asset to any organization. After this receptionist training course, delegates will understand the importance of the receptionist’s role and project the best image for your company.
- How to prevent and control stress.
- How to manage anger.
- How to deal with verbal or physical violence.
- Hospitality Reception Training
Last year, The Bournemouth & Poole College’s Academy of Service Industries celebrated 100% pass rate in their new Diploma in Hospitality Reception course, while this July saw eight receptionists taking their first steps on the career ladder after completing a hugely successful Cumbria Tourist Board apprenticeship scheme.
The Bournemouth course sponsored by Bournemouth Area Hospitality Association (BAHA), was established to meet the needs of local hotels and other industry areas which rely heavily on a first-class ‘front of house’ team to provide excellent customer care skills. All the students completed a work experience placement as part of the course, and all successfully found full time employment with a number of prestigious hotels in the area, including the Menzies Carlton, De Vere Village, Bournemouth and the FJB Haven.
At the other end of the country, apprentices from Workington, Aspatria, Whitehaven, Ambleside, Kendal and Dalton-in-Furness have all graduated under the Receptionist Apprentice Scheme, which has been run by CTB since 2004.
Under the apprenticeship scheme the eight have received sales, IT and business training and gained a Level 2 NVQ qualification. All have secured permanent jobs after taking the course, with the majority gaining employment at some of Cumbria’s top hotels.
Recommended Links for Hospitality Reception Training:
There are a number of excellent sites designed to give career advice and information about training and qualifications in the Hospitality and Tourism industry:
The Sector Skills Council for the Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism industries, ensuring that the skills employers need are the skills they get. Working with government and educators to enable delivery of a demand led learning provision for the sector.
Reception Academy Reception Academy offers the market leading Hotel Receptionist Training Course including full training on Fidelio Opera.
People 1st People 1st is the sector skills council for hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism in the UK.
Springboard UK An organisation which promotes careers in hospitality, leisure, tourism and travel. Specialist careers service provides free objective advice. The Travel & Tourism Programme (TTP) is part of the Springboard Charitable Trust, and is the UK’s leading source of support, resources and training for hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism courses in schools and colleges.
Learn Direct Thousands of vocational courses online, onsite, or in one of hundreds of learning centres throughout the UK. Also career advice.
- Medical Reception training
GP receptionists have a huge responsibility being the powerhouse within every surgery or hospital. As the first point of contact for a patient, it is the receptionists job to decide how urgently the appointment is needed, and with long waiting lists and over crowded surgeries, patients can become rude and aggressive when they are not seen as quickly as they would like; clearly it’s not easy to remain cheerful when you’re on the receiving end of all this. It seems that the fault does not lie with personalities, but rather with lack of support from the NHS; after politicians make promises to the public that GP’s cannot always fulfill, and reception have to bare the brunt of the complaints.
Three years ago, the NHS officially accepted that there was a problem with GP receptionists being unapproachable and miserable. Health chiefs in Swansea launched courses to teach their front line employees how to be cheerful, whilst dealing with unhappy and often difficult people.
Recommended Links for Medical Reception Training
The Association of Medical Secretaries, Practice Managers, Administrators and Receptionists (AMPSAR) is one of only 100 Awarding Bodies, recognised by the Department for Education and Skills. This means it can create and promote qualifications for Medical Receptionists, that are listed in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and are therefore eligible for public funding. It is also a professional membership organisation where members can receive special privileges including access to a free legal helpline and a huge range of professional guidelines and discounts on healthcare and employment issues.
- Interview Advice for Reception
Presentation
Candidate should be immaculate, from hair to shoes, this is vital for a front of house position. Think of the client base and dress accordingly. Don’t smell of cigarettes.
Manner
Candidates should present themselves as confident, but always pleasant and smile as often as possible, without seeming nervous. Don’t lie about skills you don’t have, but stress your ability to learn new things.
Questions you may be asked:
See some examples below. If you prepare your thoughts on these, you won’t be thrown so easily.
- Why did you leave your last job? (NEVER be critical of your previous employers)
- What reception experience have you gained so far? What are your current duties?
- What aspect of reception work appeals to you the most?
- What personal qualities do you think make a good receptionist?
- What are your career ambitions? (Happy to remain in a secure position, or aspire to management position?)
- What skills are your strongest, and which are your weakest? (make sure your weakest aren’t essential for the position you are being interviewed for)
- How flexible are you?
- How would you fill your time during a quiet period?
- Are you better working with a team, or by yourself? Why?
- How would you cope with a rude client?
- How would you cope on your own if the phone was ringing and a client was at reception?
- Give an example of when you provided excellent customer service.
Questions you should ask:
Candidates should prepare questions in order to show initiative.
- How many receptionists are currently part of the team?
- What does the company expect from me on a daily basis?
- Would any specialist training be required?
- Receptionist Profile
Skills required:
A receptionist should enjoy dealing with the public. He/she should be confident, pleasant, extremely patient, and an excellent articulate communicator. It is essential for a receptionist to be able to stay calm under pressure, and to remain courteous when dealing with difficult people. Receptionists need to be efficient, organised and self motivated because mostly they work alone. Reception areas will have office equipment, such as computers, switchboards, fax machines and photocopiers, so it is also necessary to be able to work with these, although normally onsite training will be given, because each machine or set up is different. Receptionists should know about and be interested in the business of the company they work for.
The work:
Receptionists are the first people clients, visitors or patients come into contact with, whether in person or over the telephone. Their main duty is to represent the company they work for, providing information, answering queries and directing people to the correct person or department. In companies where the reception area is not so busy, receptionists may be required to perform other administration or secretarial duties. In busy reception areas, there may be a team of receptionists, but very often a receptionist is expected to work alone.
Because the receptionist is working with the public, the impression he/she creates is vital to the reputation of the company. The manner of greeting, appearance of receptionist and standard of the reception area is crucial, and the receptionist is responsible for all these things.
Corporate:
The receptionist is responsible for meeting and greeting visitors for client meetings, seminars and other events. Also liasing with the host in the company regarding special requirements, keeping a booking system and taking and delivering messages effectively. Often large companies may have several reception areas, and it will be necessary to know the business of all the different areas and departments. Switchboard duties will normally be part of the job description, depending on how busy the reception area is. It will be essential to maintain a professional, corporate image at all times.
Hotels:
Nearly always receptionists will be expected to take on administration work, dealing effectively with reservations, and preparing bills to take into account any extra costs the guest has incurred; such as restaurant bills, leisure centre expenses, housekeeping etc. Queries from guests will always be directed at reception initially, so the receptionist will be expected to know where to find solutions if unable to help in person. The receptionist will also be responsible for the switchboard, directing in-coming and external calls and dealing with queries via email. Also, receiving and forwarding messages for guests and being responsible for valuables that need to be kept in the hotel safe, as well as helping guests cope with unforeseen emergencies and problems faced when staying away from home. The receptionist will need to know all the emergency health and safety procedures in case of fire or accident.
Medical or Dental:
The receptionist is responsible for making appointments and taking care of patients’ information files. They will also need to keep the reception area tidy and organise reading material and refreshments. Receptionists need to understand and enforce the safety and security procedures or their employer.
- FOH Managers Advice and Information
Important links and information at the end of article
How important are your receptionists?
When I was a managing partner, my firm required a receptionist for our largest office. I personally reviewed 215 applications myself and created my “A list”, about 42 applicants, whom I invited for interviews late one afternoon. I asked 6 of my partners to help me and we interviewed 6 applicants each. Any WOW applicant was interviewed separately by at least two partners. Were we insane to take so much partner time on this? You decide.
For many years thereafter, we had a legendary receptionist whom clients loved on the phone and in person. I personally received an average of two positive remarks about her every week. Many of my partners and associates reported similar experiences.
I remember a call from New York one day and the lawyer started by saying: “before we get to the business at hand, I just have to tell you…”. I did not have heart to tell him “yeah, I know, you are the 100th person this year to tell me”.
By the way, I told that receptionist about every single positive comment I heard, personally or second hand (and no, that did not lead to extortion – she appreciated the recognition and the credible praise).
Cynics – who are tempted to guess that she was the winner of a beauty pageant – don’t go there – she got the job as the best applicant and got her praise on merit – her performance was awesome.
A popular facilitator, teacher and retreat speaker, Gerry Riskin is a widely recognized expert on managing professional service firms, described by The Financial Post as “Canada’s professional firm management and marketing guru, with a client base stretching from Britain to the United States.” In 1983, Gerry co-founded The Edge Group with Patrick McKenna which in January 2001, evolved into Edge International.
So how does a person become a legendary receptionist?
As mentioned in other training articles on this site, traditionally there are no qualifications specifically for front of house work. However, we were surprised at how many courses are on offer in the UK for developing the necessary skills – some under the heading of receptionist, and others for specific areas, such as stress, dealing with angry callers, customer service skills, telephone skills and basic language skills – talk to clients in their own language! A selection of these are listed below; so receptionists who are inspired to spend some time improving their performance – send this URL to your managers!
Pitman Training London- High Holborn, Notting Hill and Paddington
A one-day seminar takes an in-depth look at the vital role of the receptionist and the important contribution they make to the successful and effective running of any business.
The course covers:
- How to make a first impression people will remember
- To review best telephone practice and learn how to direct calls correctly
- How to develop strategies for dealing with difficult people and situations
- How to receive visitors professionally
- To develop effective listening skills and focus on customer care
- How to stay motivated and be part of the company team
The vision2learn e-learning service offers free online courses leading to UK-recognised qualifications. You can study online from home or work with the support of a college tutor online.
Customer Service Skills at Work
Leads to a Level 2 NVQ in Customer Service Skills. It is ideal for people who currently work in a customer service role and want to improve and update their customer service skills to ensure that they offer the best possible service.
Practical Emotional Intelligence Skills
Emotional Intelligence – the ability to understand and control emotions, and recognize and respond to those of others – is emerging as the single most effective business skill of the new century.
Understanding your job, managing yourself, developing your communication skills and working as part of a team can help you to achieve success in any job.
For a receptionist, training to simply greet enquirers, take basic details, and switch them to the right salesperson, or to assist visitors in their own language, wins credibility.
The Professional Receptionist training course
A professional receptionist who seems pleased to talk to visitors and can sort out their problems whilst handling the demands of the ringing telephone without losing their cool is an asset to any organization. After this receptionist training course, delegates will understand the importance of the receptionist’s role and project the best image for your company.
- How to prevent and control stress.
- How to manage anger.
- How to deal with verbal or physical violence.
- AICR
AICR
The Amicale Internationale des Chefs de Reception et Sous Directeurs des Grand Hotels.
The Association of Front Office Managers and Assistant Managers of 4 and 5 star hotels.
Founded on the Cote d’Azur, France in 1964; over the last 40 years AICR has developed into an international fellowship with sections in 12 countries. The United Kingdom section was founded in 1986, and has grown to become an exciting, active network for Front of House Managers.
The Amicale was founded as a professional organisation, but the name was chosen to reflect the friendship that is built between members. The aims of the AICR are to facilitate and strengthen the professional relationships between members, and to promote and publicise the importance of their profession, developing the profile of the industry through training and development. Our membership constitutes an extensive source of contacts, offering invaluable networking opportunities, providing each other with support, information and advice.
Throughout the year events are organised for our members offering a wide range of opportunities to get together, network, exchange our views and share our experiences. In addition to our AGM and international Congresses, past events have included skill development, information sharing, new hotel inspections, and product presentations. We have worked closely with colleges, universities, and Government organisations with initiatives to attract more young people into the industry and to develop their careers within Front of House. A key event in our annual calendar is the “Receptionist Of The Year Competition”. We also include events with the simple aim to have fun, such as social gatherings with a barbecue or go-Karting!
If you would like to join the AICR UK, look on the website. Review the membership criteria and use the e-application – we look forward to welcoming you as part of the Amicale.
- All About Tax
How long should I keep tax records for?
Everyone must keep all records of any income and tax paid for at least 22 months after the end of the tax year to which they relate to. If you are self-employed, a business partner or let property, you must keep all records for t least 5 years 10 months after the tax year end to which they relate.
How far back can I make a claim if I feel I have paid too much tax in a previous tax year?
If you feel that you have overpaid tax in previous years, you are welcome to contact your local tax office (please contact your HR department for their address) for income earned for up to 6 years prior to the current tax year. Please note however that all records may be correct or you may have underpaid tax. It is advisable to seek independent financial advice before undertaking any action.
What is Self-Assessment?
This is a way to calculate the amount of tax you should have paid for any tax year.
Who has to complete a Self-Assessment?
Under current Inland Revenue guidelines, HMRC will require a self-assessment form from you if you are:
- Self-employed or in a partnership
- A company director
- Receiving rental income from property owned
- Receiving any further income that cannot be taxed through the PAYE system
- Receiving regular income from a trust, settlement or estate
You may still need to complete a self-assessment if you are an employee and have:
- Annual income from savings and investments of £10,000 or more (before tax)
- Annual income of more than £100,000
- Tax due that cannot be reclaimed in the following years PAYE tax code
- Untaxed income of £2,500 or more annually
If you receive a form through the post, you are under obligation to complete it even if you do not fall into any of these categories or you risk a fine.
How can I file?
You can either complete the paper form or the HMRC has an online filing system that works in exactly the same way.
Important dates
30 September – The cut-off date is you want the Inland Revenue to calculate any outstanding monies owed and want any tax due to be reclaimed through the PAYE system the following tax year
31 January – The cut-off date if you are calculating your tax yourself. If your return is not received by 1 February, an automatic £100 fine is incurred (but may be amended as any fine cannot exceed the amount of tax due).
Useful websites:
The above gives brief details about self-assessment and a full information pack can be found on the HMRC website. All information is correct at the time of publish and should be used for information purposes only. FOH Magazine is not responsible for the content on external links. All links are free to use and are checked by us for authenticity and accuracy where necessary. We are not able to provide financial advice to individuals or companies as we are not governed by the FSA.


