When you think of the face of a company, one person should come to mind; the receptionist. Receptionists, both in person and over the phone, create the first impression of the company to both existing clients and prospective customers, not to mention colleagues, staff, suppliers and essentially everybody else who interacts with your organisation.

With that in mind, it's no surprise that the people you entrust with your company image have it within their power to make or break it. As such, the person(s) you choose to carry out the role ought to be sufficiently equipped to do so flawlessly.

Read on for how to identify the individuals who have it in them to make your business a success from those who don't.

What a bad receptionist can mean for your business

A poor receptionist can do much more than just frustrate customers. A receptionist that battles to adequately connect with clients or do the job efficiently can do long-term damage to a business, resulting in compound problems with customer trust and a company's image.

How a bad receptionist can harm your company's image.

• Letting leads get away – a receptionist who can't answer questions or is dismissive on the phone will send potentially good leads fleeing.

• Mismanaging information – a receptionist that forgets to deliver messages or gets the wrong message across is not cut out for the job. A productive receptionist is one that will closely manage and organize information.

• Mishandling appointments – there are few things that make a business owner's life more difficult than the mismanagement of appointments. If customer's appointments are overlapping and meetings are bleeding into each other due to receptionist error, there's no doubt you're dealing with a bad receptionist.

In today's world of social media and online reviews, most customers will share their bad experiences with companies, and that can do massive damage to your company's image.

What makes a good receptionist?

Good receptionists will help your business grow and will take pride in increasing customer satisfaction.

In fact, an incredible receptionist is an excellent marketing opportunity. Receptionists are, after all, relationship builders and brand ambassadors rolled into one. It is their duty to make customers, staff and suppliers feel welcome and appreciated.

What makes a stand-out receptionist?

Not just anybody can be a great receptionist; it takes someone truly special.

A standout receptionist will demonstrate mastery of the following:

• Organisation – an organised receptionist makes everyone else's life easier. He or she will manage information and messages, keep track of paperwork, and still have time to attend to requests and queries.

• Listening – Since receptionists answer phones and talk with clients, he or she must be able to take in and retain information at a rapid pace. They need to hear questions, praise, and problems and pass the information on to the correct department or personally respond.

• Communication – The stand-out receptionist knows how to communicate professionally. His or her verbal communication should be outstanding since clients need someone who can communicate information effectively and also be an active listener. A receptionist should also speak to clients in a professional manner.

• Well-presented – since a receptionist is the face of a company, he or she should be well-presented, and that means appropriately dressed and exuding a professional attitude and demeanour.

Is your receptionist up to scratch?

Does your company have a receptionist who is a proud brand ambassador and all-around superstar who can help grow your business? Or do you have a bad receptionist who is seriously tainting your company's image with a poor demeanour and less than exceptional attitude?

If you need a top-tier receptionist to be the face of your company, call Jessica Pennington (03) 8606 0300.