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What Are the Best Tips for a Front Desk Supervisor?

By Whitney Leigh White
Updated Jan 28, 2024
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With a small amount of research, front desk supervisors will find a number of different tips relating to how they can effectively complete their job duties. Most tips relate to answering the phone, wearing appropriate clothing, managing work time and work space, and more. Since customers generally interact with a business’ front desk upon entering the premises, it is critical that this area be well-supervised. By heeding to tips, front desk supervisors can make sure that their employer’s front desk is organized and operating in a friendly and efficient manner.

A front desk supervisor should lead by example, which includes avoiding making personal phone calls unless it is an emergency. Many businesses have a strict policy set into place about personal phone calls and, if they do not, a front desk supervisor should create one. Within this policy, it should be required that walk-in guests are politely asked to take a seat until they can be waited on if the front desk personnel are on the phone with a vendor or customer. A front desk supervisor will also find it beneficial to have his or her personnel answer the phone with a smile, as people on the other end can hear the smile in their voice, which helps to enhance business relationships. The best way for front desk supervisors to ensure that their personnel are correctly answering the phone is to thoroughly educate and train them.

Supervisors of front desks should make sure that their personnel dress appropriately. The most appropriate type of attire is one that imitates the culture of the business. Since there are many different types of industries that include businesses with a front desk, each industry usually has a dress code differing from others. For example, a medical office usually requires personnel to wear scrubs, but a school office usually requires personnel to wear khakis and a button up shirt.

All front desk supervisors should be able to effectively manage their work time and work space, as this helps to optimize operational efficiency. By identifying daily time-wasters and how to avoid them, a supervisor can extremely increase work time productivity levels. The supervisor must be able to keep front desk areas organized and tidy, which helps by utilizing tools related to space organization. Most front desk supervisors will find it very helpful to organize all customer files in an electronic manner. This helps to cut down on paper messes which often contribute to a front desk looking very untidy.

Front desk personnel normally deal with great deal of stress on a daily basis. Front desk supervisors benefit from providing their personnel with stress relieving techniques, especially when it relates to dealing with rude customers. An open line of communication should always be left between a front desk supervisor and his or her personnel, as this allows personnel to vent when stressful situations arise.

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Discussion Comments

By Feryll — On Nov 16, 2014

The article talks about front desk managers leading by example. My father always told me that it is better to show someone than to tell them, so I appreciate a manager or supervisor who can work along side me and demonstrate that he or she knows how to do the job that the workers do.

I don't expect my supervisor to do the work for me, but I like to know that when I have problems I can go to the supervisor and he or she will understand what I am dealing with.

By Sporkasia — On Nov 15, 2014

@Laotionne - I agree with you for the most part about a supervisor not needing to micromanage. However, a supervisor is measured and judged based on how well the people she supervises perform. I don't want to micromanage, but I need to watch what is going on with my workers closely enough so I can be certain they are working as they are supposed to.

If my staff messes up then my job is at risk, so I have to watch them and look over their shoulders every now and then. Hopefully, once workers are well trained I can give them many more freedoms because I can trust them to do their jobs without so much instruction.

By Laotionne — On Nov 15, 2014

I am hoping to land a position as a front desk supervisor with the company I am working with now. I have worked at a reception desk before, but the position was not with my current company. I work in back at a desk now, so getting back to the other side of the wall is a bit scary, but the supervisor position pays more money than I am making at the moment.

Speaking from the perspective of someone who has worked at a front desk and has dealt with front desk supervisors, I prefer a supervisor who explains what I need to know and then gets out of the way and lets me do my job. As a supervisor, you don't want to make the mistake of watching every move your staff makes. This makes everyone uncomfortable and makes workers less efficient.

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