Receptionist. Host/hostess. Greeter…
…In many businesses, it’s the front desk receptionist, the hostess, or another human greeter who welcomes and bids farewell to visitors, whether in person, on the telephone, or via email.
So, it’s crucial that the person in this position convey a warm welcome when customers arrive and a gracious, heartfelt farewell when they leave; the handling of these two moments is key to your brand’s image. This is why inbound and outbound reception is best handled by a skilled, trained, and motivated veteran with great customer-focused traits.
And yet, company after company treats reception as an entry-level, stepping-stone position.
This approach is, inevitably, a slow-motion business catastrophe. Because, whatever you call it, ”First and Last Impression Creator” is among the most important positions in your enterprise.
I suggest you follow the lead of great brands like Ritz-Carlton. Nobody — nobody — is allowed to represent the Ritz-Carlton brand to guests without having gone through a rigorous 21-day training period, at a minimum. Because, to customers, every employee is the brand. This includes, in a very important way, the first and last person encountered
