corect procedures when being a receptionsist and phones ringing and someone comes up to you and is irate?

Answer 1

When that would happen to me,, I would pick up the phone and quickly do my greeting and ask , "can you hold?". Then I put them on hold and turn to the person that is upset and ask very nicely what I can do to help them. Make sure you put a sincere smile on your face or they wont buy it. Then listen to what they are complaining about, when they seem to finish, then I repeated to them what they are upset about to confirm that I understand them. I usually would say I am so sorry that this has upset you like this, let me see what I can do to get you some help. Please have a seat and let me take this call and then we can get right to work on it, ok? Smile! I can say this works on most people,, but there are always a few that are stubborn and pig headed and nothing is going to make them happy. So Good Luck!

Answer 2

The best case scenario would be to have a "back up," to whom you can say, "Will you get this phone, I am with a customer?" But I am sure that is not the case where you work. You just have to do your best to show the irate customer that you are doing your very best. Apologize for answering the phone, telling him or her that there is no one else to do it. Tell the irate person that you will do your best to either resolve the problem or find someone who can. I was taught a good phrase in a Customer Service Seminar. It is, "would you be willing...?" Such as, "Would you be willing to wait until I contact Mr. So and So to help you with this?" It actually works sometimes. I am sure you realize that with many people nothing will work, but this phrase often works. You might also try telling Mr. Irate that as the receptionist you do not have the authority of address the problem but you will be happy to find someone who will.

Good luck to you. Being the "front line" person is not always easy.

Answer 3

hi

all others have wisely recomend you to be calm and stay professional; ie first of all control your spontaneous reactions and emotions and keep a cold, rational stae of mind;
it is hard to put a general procedure, but in general it is always true that let the irate person - phone or not - talk and talk and talk and give only short positive and/or short responses; when a person cannot find a reation, a hard one as his own one or something against him in general, he/she will calm him/herself after a while; his irate bubble will disapper soon;
but your problem, mainly, is too synchronize with the phone; how can you do both things? our friends already gave good procedures, i may only add, that you need to choose the priorities; you must consider that both things and/or persons may be more important than the other; so you may reply fast at the phone, in the meanwhile you ask the irate person at the desk to hold on by words (if he is not your very big boss) and additionally by a firm hand and understand if at the phone there is something important; then talk to irate person telling hin/her that now you have all the time to solve his problem;
you'll manage well next time : )
ciao

Answer 4

Greet cordially, listen to the complaint and at the end, if there is something you know you're allowed to do to help them, offer to do that. Listen to them some more, be polite and concerned, offer them whatever they need that is company policy to offer. Never whine or complain or be mean to them.

Oh, I thought the irate person was on the phone. My bad.

Basically do the same as what I already said, but acknowledge them with a neutral face or a smile, and then put the nonirate caller on hold for a moment and deal directly with the irate in-house customer.

Answer 5

I've never been a receptionist, but as a cashier I have a lot of people skills. Right now I work as a cashier for the self-checkouts as a major grocery store. I know it can be harry trying to deal with several things at once, but I keep a cool head, and deal with one person at a time. Those with the least needs get first attention, so they get out faster. Then the others. I answer the phone, but that's last after everyone else's needs are attended to first.

Answer 6

Ask everyone on the phone to "please hold" and deal with the problem promptly. It doesn't get any better while the person is waiting for you to get off the phone. If too irate, ask them to wait a moment while you contact your supervisor, who should then take the person out of the reception area to some place private, where the problem won't become a disturbance to everyone in earshot. If that doesn't work then gang tackle him/her and beat them senseless. OK?

Answer 7

Ask the person on the phone to "please hold", then place the phone on hold. Tell the irate person to screw off, then return to your phone call.

Answer 8

Always act professionally (take the high road, don't let someone else's poor behavior drag you down to doing same) and say something like "I'd like to help you out in one moment please. If I can answer these calls first I can give you my undivided attention. Thanks".

Answer 9

smail wait ther