INTRODUCTION

The role of reception and office administration in the modern organization is expanding. As well as performing general duties, Receptionists and Administrators are increasingly expected to undertake a wider range of other tasks to better support the organization. Not only that, organizations today are operating under much greater stress, with more expected of fewer staff. This means that job roles are expanding and there is less time making highly honed time & priority management skills a necessity.

On reception, just the first few minutes of interaction with a customer or visitor, the tone is set for the company. As a matter of fact, the modern receptionist serves as a crucial central coordination point for the organization and their contacts with clients, suppliers and customers. On top of front desk operations, the effective receptionist recognizes that an on-going knowledge of the business and a pro-active approach to providing customer service to both the internal and external customers are crucial. The office administrator is a wide-ranging job role which can have complex reporting lines and many influences that set up conflicting priorities. Over the past number of years, organizations have stripped out management layers which has required many administrators to take on greater responsibilities.

This course has been developed specifically to equip receptionists and office admin staff with all the essential skills to better manage the workloads and activity profiles that form the engine-room of efficient organizations.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon completing this Course successfully, participants will be able to:

• Identifying the roles, responsibilities (and conflicts) of the receptionist and office administrator
• Conveying a positive image, working with energy and efficiency
• How to receive visitors professionally- making visitors feel welcome
• Reviewing priorities of work and setting appropriate goals and decisions
• Simple negotiation skills to get a win-win outcome for both parties
• Managing multiple responsibilities and priorities
• Effective time & priority management

DURATION

5 Days

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The course targets Receptionists, Front Desk Staff, Administration Assistants, Personal Assistants, Secretaries, Supervisors/Team Leaders, Office Managers and Any individual working in the office support field

COURSE OUTLINE

MODULE 1: Projecting a Professional & Efficient Image

• Understanding the importance of reception and administration as both the ‘face’ of the company and the crucial engine-room
• Understanding how body language affect people’s first impression of you
• How to project a professional image
• Personal efficiency & time and priority management
  • Organizing your work space
  • 7 things you can do to immediately put customers or coworkers at ease

Communication Skills

• What is effective communication?
• Enunciation & clarity of speech
• Listening Skills
• Five deadly sins on non-listening
• Active listening skills
• Non-verbal communication
• Body language
• Tone of voice

MODULE 2: Perfecting your Telephone Skills

• Recognizing the impact of the absence of body language when on the phone, and how to compensate for it
• Conveying a positive image by using appropriate phone greetings that are warm and welcoming
• How to put callers on hold politely and alternatives to keeping them on hold indefinitely
• How to deal with aggressive callers with positive phrasing techniques
• How to be assertive yet polite over the phone
• Tips on how to take messages quickly and accurately over the phone
• Being a gate-keeper- blocking and redirecting calls
• Transferring a call: Using the 3-way transfer; Putting a customer on hold; when a transfer cannot be completed

Managing Visitors

• How to receive visitors professionally- making visitors feel welcome
• Managing visitors arriving and leaving the building
• Keeping track of visitors
• Providing information and advice to visitors and guests

 MODULE 3: Managing Couriers and Suppliers

• Keeping track of deliveries and couriers
• Booking couriers and taxis, including cross checking invoices for these services
• Take decisions on the use of suppliers related to the reception function
• Supplier liaison - how to get the best from your suppliers in the reception function

Internal Customer Service

• Understanding how and why it’s important to treat colleagues as internal customers
• Working closely with colleagues as internal customers to build the value you add to them
• Updating and issuing information to appropriate internal customers to ensure that they have current and accurate information

MODULE 4: Managing and Dealing with Prickly Personalities

• How to deal with annoyed or angry customers/visitors or co-workers using the LAST technique and how to adapt it for face-to-face interactions vs. telephone interactions
• How to say ‘no’ without upsetting internal and external customers
• Being assertive with and handling prickly people with tact and diplomacy
• Simple negotiation skills to get a win-win outcome for both parties

Essential time and productivity management

Perhaps THE most valued aspect of a good office administrator is “getting stuff done!”. Being effective with your time, productivity and decision making is paramount to your success. This session gives you great insight and tips.

• Identifying the key aspects of time management that you personally may need to work on

- Goal setting
- Prioritisation
- Staying on task
- Maximizing the outcomes from interactions with others
- Interruption management
- Procrastination
- Setting your daily plan

• Focus on the high payoff activities
• Using a robust prioritisation strategy
• Managing the pesky interruptions
• Maintaining control over your workload
• Tips for handling paperwork and electronic (email!) overload
• Kick procrastination into touch!

MODULE 5: Dealing effectively with stress

• Looking at the causes of stress and your vulnerability to decreased effectiveness
• Reducing the negative impacts of stress
• Accentuating the positive!
• Spotting the signs of stress in yourself and others
• Tips for better stress management

Clear & concise business writing

• Reviewing what makes writing clear & concise versus opaque and non-effective
• The power of simplicity
• The importance of your own voice, personality
• Organization/house style to consider
• Writing for the time-poor
• Knowing your audience
• How the channel you are writing for (email, letter, minutes etc) shapes your style
• Quick tips to vet, proof your communications to avoid face palm moments!

GENERAL NOTES

• This course is delivered by our seasoned trainers who have vast experience as expert professionals in the respective fields of practice. The course is taught through a mix of practical activities, theory, group works and case studies.
• Training manuals and additional reference materials are provided to the participants.
• Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be issued with a certificate.
• We can also do this as tailor-made course to meet organization-wide needs. Contact us to find out more: training@data-afriqueconsultancy.org
• The training fee covers tuition fees, training materials, lunch and training venue. Accommodation and airport transfer are arranged for our participants upon request.
• Payment should be sent to our bank account before training starts and proof of payment sent to: training@data-afriqueconsultancy.org