Answer and direct all phone calls
Greet all office guests
Manage, clean and organize the front desk
Schedule meetings, client visits and company events
Stock the copy rooms, snack room and lounge
Collect and sort all mail and packages
Provide administrative support to all team members as necessary
Answer guests' and employees' questions
Validate guest parking
Process invoices and pay outstanding bills for company accounts
Perform light bookkeeping and financial record-keeping
Decorate the office for holidays
Provide occasional tours of the office
Support the office manager and administrative assistants
Related: How To Get Hired as a Receptionist in 5 Steps
Therole of a receptionistfocuses on greeting guests, managing the front desk and performing support tasks. Receptionists are administrative specialists that typically sit in the main lobby area of an office, healthcare facility or hospitality setting, like a salon, gym or hotel. They're often the first person guests see upon visiting the office space. Receptionists are responsible for several different tasks depending on the organization in which they work.For example, a receptionist who works for a company that regularly sets in-office appointments may spend much of their time scheduling appointments with clients. Receptionists working for companies with minimal in-person meetings may spend their time filing, organizing and performing data entry. Additional titles for the receptionist role include:
Telephone clerk
Office reception clerk
Front desk clerk
Secretary
Office receptionist
Office assistant
Scheduling assistant
Appointment clerk
Chief telephone operator
Answering service operator
Reception clerk
Related: 7 Reasons To Become a Receptionist (With Duties and Skills)
While receptionist duties and responsibilities can vary greatly depending on their place of employment, the most common tasks a receptionist is responsible for include:
Welcoming office guests and directing them to the person or office they're visiting
Answering and making phone calls on behalf of office employees
Handling office correspondence
Maintaining office supplies
Scheduling meetings for employees
Maintaining the reception area
Keeping office records up to date
Performing various other clerical tasks, including faxing, transcribing and filing
A receptionist working in an office focused oncustomer servicemay also handle and resolve customer complaints and other issues. Receptionists may also take payments from clients, send out invoices and pay office-related expenses using office funds.
Qualifications for receptionists can vary, but it's often an entry-level job. Some employers require receptionists to have as much as three years of previous experience in the field, while others may be open to candidates with minimal experience. For receptionist jobs in specialized fields like healthcare or dentistry, employers may require candidates to have experience in these environments or training with electronic medical records (EMR) software.Receptionists' skills often include the following:
Receptionists usually have excellentinterpersonal skillsto ensure visitors have good first impressions and feel welcome. Receptionists also answer phones and respond to correspondence in a friendly way to maintain positive relationships with both clients and employees.
Receptionists are responsible for organizing various office-related documentation, including client files and employee documents. Some receptionists also keep employees' communications and other files organized, like executives' email accounts or receipts.
These individuals regularly communicate with several people, including employees, managers and clients, so being clear and concise is important. Communication that a receptionist may be responsible for includes both written and verbal forms, including on the phone, via email and through letters.
Receptionists often rely on several types of software and technology to perform their daily duties. For example, they may use word processing software, databases and e-filing systems to keep track of employee information.
Receptionists often do multiple things at once, such as answering phone calls, greeting customers and corresponding with employees. Being able to multitask without becoming overwhelmed is an important skill to be successful