First impressions last longest and should be a top priority…

Nov 25 2005 By Nicholas Craig, He Journal

Front of house staff are so important to the way in which we regard a business.

If receptionists, telephonists and office staff are offhand it spoils our perception of the entire workforce. If they are warm, welcoming and informed we rate the firm far more highly.

Having suffered brusque demands or lengthy waits on line when calling national and regional companies, I speak from the heart.

Yet there are few within our business community who appear to be actively tackling the subject. First impressions last longest and should be a top priority for all companies, large or small.

A helpful, human welcome cheers you up, which in itself can make the reason for the call or visit go that bit better.

Front of house people are equally important for staff morale - they are the first faces most employees see in the morning, and can help to set the mood for the day.

After the extraordinary warmth with which I was greeted during my visit to Shanghai and Beijing businesses I was brought back to earth with a jolt in Britain. When did the penchant for telephone interrogations begin? After the fourth question about the intention of my call by a rigorous receptionist, my will to talk to anyone had wilted considerably.

The only time I feel I am shrinking to sylph-like proportions is when I am standing patiently in front of a receptionist who simply cannot see me, so continues to chat.

I have to puncture my delusions of diminutive size, however pleasant, to interrupt the conversation, running the risk of a withering gaze as a result.

I like the simple approach of supermarket checkout assistants, whose training we could all do well to mimic. If you peer down beside the till, a printed card reminds them to smile, make eye contact and say hello. So easy, and yet what a huge difference it makes to your mood, and the way in which you remember them.

Customer service is key to success, whatever the profession. Although the pressure is put on front of house staff, we are all ambassadors for our firms. It may sound old-fashioned but business etiquette works. The companies who treat visitors and callers with courtesy are usually those who do well because people enjoy doing business with them. A sincere smile and welcome works wonders. Try it today.