Course Highlights
This course for receptionists and other front-desk staff will:
- Give clear guidelines for presenting a professional image and making a positive first impression.
- Provide tips related to improving productivity.
- Offer guidance for dealing with surprises that occur at the front desk.
- Outline best practices for staying safe at the front desk.
Course Overview
In most workplaces, the people at the front desk have a significant responsibility in shaping how customers, employees, and vendors perceive the organization. They serve as the connection point between the inside and outside of the business, and therefore hold considerable influence over the organization’s brand.
This two-part course is designed for individuals who work at the front desk, including dedicated front desk staff, security guards, and those who typically have different roles but also cover the front desk. The program focuses on fostering professionalism, enhancing communication skills, providing strategies for staying organized, teaching de-escalation techniques, and emphasizing safety.
Note: We offer a similar program in an in-person onsite format called Welcome!: Front Desk Professional Image Building.
Segment One Objectives
At this segment’s conclusion, participants should be able to:
- Discuss the components of a professional image at the front desk.
- Describe how checklists and procedures can help deliver a consistent experience.
- Implement best practices for interacting with visitors.
- Address the nuances of nonverbal communication – body language and tone.
- Manage telephone communication with clarity, accuracy, and courtesy.
- Actively listen to customer concerns.
Segment Modules
- Image and Impressions: The First Chance
- Checklists and Procedures: On Task and On Track
- Interacting with Visitors: Professional Exchanges
- Nonverbal Communication: What You’re Saying When You Don’t Speak
- Telephone Etiquette: Best Practices on the Wire
- Active Listening: A Powerful Tool
Segment Two Objectives
At this segment’s conclusion, participants should be able to:
- Communicate with confidence and credibility.
- Differentiate between passive, aggressive, and assertive communication.
- Avoid blunt wording that creates resistance and defensiveness.
- Minimize interruptions in a tactful way.
- Deal politely with discourteous, demanding, and dissatisfied visitors.
- Outline strategies for staying safe at the front desk.
Segment Modules
- Four Approaches to Communication: Your Choices
- Rephrasing Blunt Wording: Your Filter
- Diplomatically Declining and Disagreeing: Tact Counts
- Dealing with Difficult Customers: How to Handle Almost Anyone
- Defusing Anger: De-escalation
- Front Desk Safety: No Chance for Error
By the conclusion of this course, participants should understand what it takes to manage the front desk and have tools they can apply to make the process easier.
