Receptionists are a reflection of a company
To become a receptionist you have to be willing to listen to people.
The receptionist is the main frame of the company.
Modiegi Chauke, receptionist at SA Reynolds Travel, says no specific subjects are needed, but it is necessary to be computer literate.
Her advice to Grade 12 students is to be focused, be organised and have good communication skills.
A receptionist also handles a switchboard which is the link between the public and the company.
She says the key to dealing with difficult people is to stay calm and to try and understand why the person on the other side of the line is unhappy or upset.
She recalls a situation where a client was rude and shouted at her.
She decided the best way to deal with this person was to transfer him to someone who could assist him with his query.
Staying calm bore fruit as the man apologised to her.
“A person needs to know how to articulate themselves in the way they talk,” she says.
The general duties of a receptionist would be in providing secretarial, clerical and administrative support in order for a company to run smooth.
A typical day in the life of a receptionist would be to type, maintain general filing, handle emails, respond to client queries and handle the switchboard.
She has to answer all incoming calls and handle caller’s enquiries whenever possible, re-direct calls and take adequate messages when required.
In this way she makes a huge contribution to the company.
Courses are available at any college and some companies even offer internal staff training to improve the skills of the receptionist.
Modiegi keeps a diary on her desk to help her keep track of the ins and outs of the staff.
She says what makes her happy is when a caller asks for her name.
A receptionist is definitely the mirror image of a company although she is not always known by her first name.
