President's Message - March 2010

Here it is March, lets ReACQUAINT ourselves on the duties of the Reception Desk  

Many of us have had to take over or assist in the various duties that our firms have for the Receptionist.  Not necessarily the jobs we are used to doing, or have done for a very long time.  Answering the phones is the number one priority for our firms.  This is the first point of contact for our Clients.  Recently this position requires more than just answering the phones in order to get a lot of work completed in the office.  

Small firms sometimes use one person to do reception duties and office work, and it can be quite a shuffle to get everything done while answering the calls and greeting the visitors.  Medium size firms share some of the responsibilities with the Reception Desk duties, and recently Large firms shuffle people around in order to cover the phones without any one person being the receptionist.

It’s time to ReTHINK, ReSHAPE, and ReEDUCATE ourselves with ideas that can be done at the Reception Desk:

·         First is greeting Clients – by phone and in person.  Always with a smile and upbeat.

·         Using Email to notify people about returning calls if they are not in the office, or cannot take a call coming in.  Flag it by indicating PHONE CALL in the subject.

·         Call first, Page next or Email staff regarding clients waiting in the lobby.  Another solution to this is to have staff members notify the Reception Desk as to whom they expect for a meeting, and where they can be located when their Client arrives, or which conference room the Client should be directed to.  By knowing this information early, the room can be set up and ready for the meeting and then can be cleaned up when it is done.

·         Typing documents:  Letters, Memorandums, Meeting Minutes, Transmittals, Specifications, Marketing Materials.  Keeping a set of file folders for each month (January through December) and having a set of file folders for each day of the month (1 through 31) helps to put work in folders for various months and days of the month.

Not everything that is put into the work basket needs to be completed on the day it arrives, and sometimes not even the next day.  Maybe it is for next week, or another month.

Put the current month in front, then follow it with the days of the month.  As you complete a day, put it behind the next month.  If the work isn’t due this month, place it in the month folder when it is due.  At the end of each month, check the next month’s folder and put it in the daily folder it needs to be worked on.  Placing your work in daily and/or monthly folders helps you take one folder a day. 

Should you complete the work in your daily folder, then go to the next one.  It’s like having a schedule of work, but putting into folders.  This helps to cut down on the clutter on the top of your desk, especially if you are working at the front Reception Desk.  It also helps to find documents if someone asks you for something they gave you to work on.

·         Small firms also use the person at the front desk to do Accounting duties.  Again, the folders can be helpful in planning when invoices need to be prepared and sent; daily activities like accounts receivable and payable; and days that payroll and taxes need to be prepared.

·         Mail:  Many firms have cut down on the amount of mail being sent by using electronic mail.  Make sure you have enough stamps and/or postage in the machine for those small items that need to be sent by USPS.  Preparing UPS or FedEx labels ahead of time to those places you send on a regular basis will help cut down the time it takes to prepare the packages.

·         Filing:  Most offices are starting to file documents electronically.  One solution to those documents that come from Clients into the office is to make pdf’s of the documents right away.  Place the electronic version in the electronic project file and then send an email of the file path off to those individuals that need to see the document.  They can look up the file themselves.  You’re not only making sure you have a copy electronically filed, but you are saving on paper at the same time.  This also helps eliminate the hard copy archives and will eventually cut down on off-site storage costs.

·         Use a headset on your phone, if your phone allows you to have a headset.  It is another way of saving time.  Your hands are free to do your work and it is so much easier than having that crink in the neck trying to hold the phone and type something.

·         Various forms or labels that your office uses continuously can be done in stacks and set aside.  It will save time if you do them this way.  Choose a day that the workload is a little slower to prepare them.

Every office has their own needs and I know that you will ReTHINK, ReSHAPE, and ReEDUCATE yourself on ways to be more efficient in the way you work at the Reception Desk in your office.

I look forward to seeing you all at our monthly meetings.  Our Chapter Programs committee is working hard to provide us with informative speakers that will provide us with relevant information.  Have a really terrific March!