A good receptionist is one of the most vital components of marketing for your business. Receptionists are responsible for greeting customers, patients, clients, visitors and answering phone calls. They are also responsible for managing the affairs of the office and participating in many aspects of the business. The receptionist is usually the first point of contact for a customer and they leave the customer with a first impression of your business. They are key players in bringing new customers to your business, and such, it’s important to hire qualified professionals to take on these responsibilities. Once you have hired your receptionists, the most important thing you can do is to invest in them and their future with your company.

Here are a few ways you can invest in your receptionists and see a great return:

Recognize the Value of Your Receptionist

Recognize the value of your receptionist to your business. Receptionists are usually the most underpaid employee of the company. They are also the most undervalued employee. They deserve to be respected and treated well, to be regarded as business professionals, and valued for the difficult tasks they perform each day.

Show Your Appreciation

Show your receptionists that you appreciate them. But don’t just show them… tell them! Show them by regarding them as the professionals they are. Your appreciation will go a long way and will motivate them and help them to be excited about their job and about your company.

Provide Training and Continued Education

Now that you have hired business professionals, do everything in your power to train and educate them. Set the expectation that you are developing them as business professionals and integrate them into every aspect of the business. If you do this properly, your receptionists will possess a wealth of knowledge about all aspects of the company and will serve as one of your most valuable assets.

Incentivize Your Receptionist

If you are looking for exceptional performance from your receptionists, pay them well. If they are working for minimum wage, they will give you minimum wage performance. Pay them well to begin with, but when they have earned and deserve it, give them a raise.

Second, incentivize them. When they bring on a new customer, give them a bonus. By incentivizing your receptionist, you give them the drive to work hard at what they do and a reason to care about every customer that walks through the door. This will motivate them to put forth concerted effort every time they interact with a potential customer. Also, incentivize your receptionists by giving them advancement opportunities through an employee development program.

Intermountain Vein Center in Orem, UT is a great example of a company that truly invests in their receptionists. Heather Todd, Office Manager said,

“Our receptionists are vital to the success of our organization. They provide that most important first impression a patient gets of our clinic and the last impression as they leave. No one enjoys going to the doctor and our receptionists understand that. They are there to make sure our patients are as comfortable as possible, and part of that responsibility is to be able to answer questions that can help put patients’ minds at ease. Our receptionists undergo extensive training and education on venous disease and the treatment options available. At the Intermountain Vein Center, we make sure we work as a team and all employees are involved in the treatment process of each patient, but the receptionists are our star performers.”

There are various ways to invest in your receptionists, and every business should realize that receptionists have the potential to become one of their most valuable assets. Invest in your receptionists and you’ll realize a great return and the true value of your investment!