Receptionist shouted at me and flounce off job

[Waytooearly]

I'm trying to run a department with very little admin support.

We have loads of time-sensitive work and we get sued if it doesn't get done on time. We had a couple crises arise today. It's fulfilling work but you can only manage if you're super organised.

Our main receptionist has a bad habit of ringing me when randoms drop in. Fine, ring once, nice to see if I'm free, but usually I'll have to say take a message or book him in later. I can rarely come down for "just a sec". We don't see people without appointments.

Lately I've had to talk to her manager because the calls are becoming like:

"This lady dropped in..."

"Yeah, got this bundle due at 4,sorry,book her in on Thursday?"

"Yeah but she said that you said that she could come in any time..."

"Yeah really no, okay bye"

"Yeah but she has kids with her and they took the bus..."

I even get calls when I'm with clients.

Today she rang because a current client stopped in for a "quick question". I said "No, sorry, urgently getting something done before my 4:00 appointment," She rang again ten seconds later, saying again, "Yeah but he said that you said that he could just pop in?"

I said, "Well now I have to come down because you're doing this in front of him. When you do this it means my work doesn't get done and I have to stay late."

Of course the person popping in pulled out paperwork and wanted to have a sit down so that happened. I just shrugged and thought, " Fine, late-ish night at office" and resigned myself to it.

I left the impromptu appointment to find the receptionist flouncing about the lobby shouting that she was quitting because I had talked to her like shit. There were clients in the lobby. My colleague and I got her into a room and made soothing noises to shut her up.

She still left. I'm pretty sure it was a drama quit because her things are still here.

Our manager isn't here today.

What's the appropriate response from my manager here? She is very good friends with the receptionist and they socialise outside of work. I fear therell be some placating response so they don't have to hire a new admin.

Can someone coach me on how I navigate this?

If the OP wasn't available she wouldn't have gone down to see the client. The receptionist didn't drag her out of her office. You either need to be available or not, not only available if you keep hassling me.

I really can’t understand people piling on the OP here. The receptionist is at fault, seems a massive drama queen and, quite frankly, is shit at her job.
OP, I think there’s a lot of shit receptionists on this thread taking their ire out on you.

Haven’t read the full thread but your receptionist is unprofessional!

When I worked in a professional services firm and was able to see walk ins but obviously not always we had a fantastic receptionist. What she did (assume I‘called Mary) was call my extension and say ‘Is Mary available as I have x in reception?’. If I wanted to see x fine, if I didn’t she could then go back to x and just say ‘Mary’s not available’ and x doesn’t even know that I answered the phone!

@SnuggyBuggy
The OP wasn't with a client or out of the office. But she said if she went to see that client then she'd have to work late that day. The receptionist clearly doesn't think that is enough of an excuse so continues to call until she gets the client in. That's not her job. Her job is to stop them at the front desk, make an appointment and then see them out. But she doesn't. She tells them they can get in and then calls and calls and argues infront of the client so they can hear everything. The only way OP can stop the unprofessional behaviour in that moment is to go and deal with it and then work late. What should happen next is that the receptionist is reprimanded by management and retrained. But that doesn't sound like it happens here.

The OP doesn't need to make excuses or justify herself to the receptionist, she needs to just say no and insist on an appointment.

@Keepyoursockson - exactly!

(and this isn’t even AIBU)

You just don't get it SnuggyBuggy.

Everyone sensible knows all she needs to do is keep saying no. But this reception isn't behaving sensibly. The client is standing there, the receptionist has told them that she'll get them in and then she repeatedly calls the OP. The client is still standing there listening to the receptionist say "Oh, he says it will only be a few minutes, he says you told him it was ok" etc. She can continue saying no, but the receptionist isn't listening and is arguing. The clone is hearing that. It's unprofessional and embarassing. You just don't do that. So, to stop the unprofessional and embarassing behaviour being presented to a client, the OP needs to come down and see them. Then afterwards, what should happen is a reprimand and training. But that part isn't being done.

I do get it thank you very much. You don't engage with crazy, you stop answering the phone if necessary. When you give in to a crazy demand then they expect you to do the same next time. The OP isn't the receptionists manager, it's the job of the manger to deal with any poor behaviour from her not the OP.

Good receptionist are Gate keeper's for professional organisations.

She certainly doesn't sound professional or competent.

The hot chocolate is not the way to go.

You need boundaries OP.

Do your job.
Stick to the no appointment rule.
Don't answer the phone while with clients.
Keep a polite professional distance from the hot head receptionist and don't engage with her drama.

Good luck.

Good receptionist are Gate keeper's for professional organisations.. How much does a receptionist in London get paid these days?

How did the "hot chocolate and chat" go OP??

Hopefully no hot chocolate was thrown, she sounds like a loose cannon