What would you do?

Question

I work as a receptionist/switchboard operator for some brokers/finacial advisers. They get plenty of calls throughout the day and have people coming in for meetings and most go through me. However, there are about three brokers who never let me know when they are leaving or when they will be back. There have been many, many times when I've sent calls to their offices to have them return to my phone and I'm left stuttering to some client because they are not in the building. I'm suppoed to take messages for these guys and never know anything! The other four or five brokers actually let me know when they're leaving, when they'll be back, to send people to voicemail or not, if they're leaving for the day, etc. The assistants of the other 3 don't even let me know when the brokers leave! They have been told many times to let me know when they leave but still don't do it. What would you do in this situation?

One of the brokers is the main manager and his assistant is the office manager so I've gone to the highest people in the office about this situation.

Good point, Zandelia. But the thing is, I shouldn't HAVE to do that.

Answer 1

Bosses are just people. It seems like some people don't want to get forceful with a boss because of their postition. But that might be the only way he/she will understand the importance of the situation. You don't have to insult them but don't be afraid to get irritated, especially if it's over you wanting to do your job better. You'll prolly gain respect for standing up to them.

Answer 2

Every office has this problem! One office I worked in had a board where were to move our magnet from "In" to "Out" but often someone would forget, which made the receptionist tell a caller that a person was out of the office when he/she was "In" and just forgot to move their magnet. Another office had a phone system put in where the receptionist could ring the office to see if they were available, but often they had stepped away from their office for a few seconds and got mad because they missed the call.

Both offices eventually had the receptionist tell every caller "He/She is in today but is not available right now. Can I please have him/her call you back?" She would write down every name and number and put it in a slot with the employees name on it. The employees were to stop by her desk every so often and pick up all of their messages and go to their desk and return phone calls. The employees liked that arrangement as they knew that they wouldn't be interrupted for a phone call. They made a point to return all calls before the end of the day. The only time that the receptionist put someone on hold to check if an employee was able to take a call was if it was a spouse's employer or a school calling about a sick child.

This method also gives all employees a record of who called and the phone number in case they need to refer to it. If the receptionist has the kind of phone message pad that leaves her a copy, more the better as she has the names and phone numbers in case one is lost.

Good luck,
Bud

Answer 3

Your company needs a new phone system. Can't you simply place the caller on hold, buzz the broker's phone and if no one says anything then send to voice mail?

All you would have to say to the caller is "one moment while I check if he's in" , if he's not then transfer to voice mail. Very simple.

Answer 4

That sounds like it would be very annoying. Have you went to them personally and not through someone else? That's what I would do (though it may not work). Be straight with them....they are showing their immaturity and lack of responsibility, so tell them that. They may get offended, but it's the truth.

Be polite, but say what you think.

Answer 5

sounds like you cant change the situation, so when calls are returned simply say, im sorry it appears mr whoever has just stepped out and take a msg, inconvenient yes, but no biggie

Answer 6

you do a good job