Reception Skills (1 day)

In many organisations the first person who meets the public is the receptionist and the experience of the visitor/service user may have a dramatic impact on how the service provided may be perceived. The consequences of negative initial contact can escalate and prove to be very challenging for other people involved and it may take considerable time and effort to undo the damage done.

This course aims to raise awareness of the need for a quality reception service, to highlight what constitutes good customer care and how to improve it. The course is suitable for receptionists in social care settings; however can also be delivered for those working with the general public.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course learners should have understood:

• What a ‘customer’ is
• Who our customers are
• What is meant by ‘customer care’
• Why do we need to provide good customer care:
        -the benefits for the receptionist
        -the benefits for the customer
        -the benefits for the organisation
• The potential consequences of poor customer care (for us and the organisation)
• The role of the receptionist in providing quality customer care
• How the receptionist represents the organisation
• The message we want to project
• How we project this:
        -the clothes we wear
        -personal grooming
        -the environment etc
• What is meant by a positive ‘Attitude’
• How to:
        -greet people
        -provide information
        -meet initial needs
• What it means to go the extra yard and mile
• How to deal with more than one person at a time; competing demands
• How to deal with the “difficult” customer
• How to hold boundaries
• How to use calming techniques
• How to deal with complaints

Working methods:

• Tutor presentations
• OHP/PowerPoint
• Group Work
• Word shower method
• Role play
• Practical exercises
• Handouts