Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 9 10

Original poster

Receptionist shouted at me and flounce off job

238 replies

Waytooearly · 08/11/2019 21:48

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?

OP posts:

LittlePaintBox · 09/11/2019 13:26

According to the OP, the receptionist has twice said that different clients claimed to have been told to drop in any time. So I'd also like to know whether the clients are making it up, the receptionist is making it up, or the OP has indeed told clients to pop in any time to see her.

ThatMuppetShow · 09/11/2019 13:27

hat's the appropriate response from my manager here?

instant dismissal - for the receptionist, obviously.
Completely unacceptable and unprofessional behaviour.

Even the most junior receptionist would come up with " in a meeting, unable to disturb" - or "not in the office right now".

So not only yours is useless, but she is rude and behaved in an acceptable manners in front of clients.

Hence the instant dismissal for gross misconduct. That's how I would deal with it.

LannieDuck · 09/11/2019 13:27

If you tell your clients they can drop by, YABVU (esp the poor woman who brought her kids with her on the bus).

If you make it clear to your clients that they need to make appointments to see you and cannot just drop by, YANBU.

saraclara · 09/11/2019 13:31

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."

So you left her to deal with an angry client who you made an offer to and reneged on it?
What a shitty job she has.

Wildorchidz · 09/11/2019 13:32

So you left her to deal with an angry client who you made an offer to and reneged on it?

The op has not clarified if she does tell clients to call in.

onalongsabbatical · 09/11/2019 13:35

If OP is as unforthcoming with the pertinent information at work as she is here, I'm inclined to think she may be in the wrong and have driven the receptionist mad. But there's no way of knowing, because she's not telling us, is she?

GrouchoMrx · 09/11/2019 13:36

It sound like the receptionist is completely incapable of doing her job.

Get rid.

Highandlow · 09/11/2019 13:38

From a corporate receptionists side ( not anymore , it was hell )I don’t think you understand how hard it is to navigate these situations. Clients can be intimidating and you effectively become security at times. The clients need to be told they cannot come in without notice and you need to back the receptionist if they kick up a fuss ( which they do and often).
The flouncing etc is no good, but everyone has a breaking point. Two sides to every story.

CalamityJune · 09/11/2019 13:38

I can see both sides. I used to work somewhere where the reception staff would always indulge people who just wanted to pop in and it's really disruptive. I always wished they would set a blanket policy that you had to call ahead and make an appointment. If she had been told that this is the policy, but continues to simply do as the client asks then she isn't doing her job properly.

If however they have been given the impression that they can turn up whenever they like then you have made her life more difficult as they are far less likely to take no for an answer. It's one thing to tell clients that you welcome contact with them, but quite another to give the impression that you are willing to drop everything at a moment's notice for them.

Quartz2208 · 09/11/2019 13:39

No it sounds as if she hasnt been trained properly in how to handle these situations and is unsure how to do so. Guidelines needed here

The OP sounds unprofessional as well as she could have said he needs to make an appointment because all she said was that the OP had said it. Her response is odd if indeed she hadnt

MissSueDenim · 09/11/2019 13:39

Of course the person popping in pulled out paperwork and wanted to have a sit down so that happened.

Why not tell the client that you were unable to go through paperwork just then & to make an appointment? Unless of course you did tell them to pop in.

Oppopotomouse · 09/11/2019 13:42

Marking place!

Quartz2208 · 09/11/2019 13:42

yes exactly if it is appointment only tell them. Unless you did tell them they could pop in or he was difficult to deal with

billybagpuss · 09/11/2019 13:44

I think if they socialise outside of work, your manager already knows.

I also think you need to specify a blanket 'no drop ins appointments only'
policy.

IWorkAtTheCheescakeFactory · 09/11/2019 13:44

Do you really both say “yeah” all the time the way you’ve laid it out above? You use it as if it’s compulsory punctuation at the start of a sentence! (it isn’t)

IWorkAtTheCheescakeFactory · 09/11/2019 13:45

Btw you do sound very rude with the “yeah no okay bye” post.

ThatMuppetShow · 09/11/2019 13:45

From a corporate receptionists side ( not anymore , it was hell )I don’t think you understand how hard it is to navigate these situations.

but the whole point of having a receptionist is for them to deal with these situations! All the corporate receptionist I know of are paid accordingly. If it was just a case to wave people through whilst filing their nails, they wouldn't be paid more than the minimum wage.

Corporate receptionists have strong skills and I don't think most people on here understand what their role is.

Not only the one on the thread cannot do her most basic job properly, but she is abused a member of staff and was unprofessional in front of clients.

WHY would anyone keep her exactly?

BarbedBloom · 09/11/2019 13:46

I used to manage a corporate reception and we had a sign up that said that people would only be seen if they had made an appointment. Phones would also be set to do not disturb if someone was busy.

People can be really, really unpleasant to receptionists, especially those who they see as 'just' receptionists. I have had to intercede several times and back up my receptionist to some truly vile people who think she is being bloody minded on purpose. I have had a receptionist in tears and shouting as well because a manager would tell people to pop in whenever and then say he was far too busy. I had to speak to him because it was affecting my staff member and also the reputation of the company. So I also want to know whether you say people can just pop in.

I did put one of my receptionists on an assertiveness training course as she was really struggling to know how to say no to people without seeming rude.

YouJustDoYou · 09/11/2019 13:48

Op will probably come back with a huge dripfeed of something relating to why the fuck she never helped the poor receptionist better understand the rules she wanted following.

eddielizzard · 09/11/2019 13:48

Sounds to me like you want her to be the bad guy. You can say to clients 'call in whenever you like, drop by, it's fine.' and then expecting her to bear the brunt of their irritation when she refuses on your behalf?

Since you haven't refuted that you've said these things, no wonder she's pissed off! I think you have to have a clear policy that your clients are aware off, if you're expecting your receptionist to back you up.

Sammyp235 · 09/11/2019 13:49

I do feel for you OP, I really do, but equally as a receptionist, she is the first point of call for the customer/client. Working in a public facing role can be quite challenging as you’re the one getting it in the neck when the client can’t get what they want there and then. (i.e they want a word with you etc...)

The receptionist is like the middle man trying to keep client happy but equally you happy too. So she’s fighting a losing battle at times as if you’re busy and the customer is ‘begging’ to speak to you

she a) won’t want to piss him off anymore (as he’s probably already agitated he can’t get what he wants) and b) doesn’t want the come back of missing potentially important info-as it’s not up to get to judge what’s important/relevant etc...

Working with the public frontline can be tricky (I do it day in day out- not a receptionist) and ultimately that backlash will be on her. So I assume she’s not constantly bombarding you for fun.

So how can you resolve this....?

Well I’d sit down with her and explain that it doesn’t matter what the client wants, u see no circumstances can you come down etc. They need to make an appointment etc... make her aware that she won’t get in to trouble when the client blows his top (and he will) and make sure she knows you’ve got her back if he complains. That should give her the confidence to say ‘I’m sorry but no’

Weekday28 · 09/11/2019 13:50

Quite obviously you are telling people to pop in as this wouldn't have come up in conversation many times. You were being rude to her. I suggest you grovel a bit and explain you will change how you are telling clients to just pop in if she can be strict and not call you.

Sammyp235 · 09/11/2019 13:50

Under** no circumstance can you come down (I mean)

Glacecherrychops · 09/11/2019 13:55

If you've told people explicitly or implied that they can just pop in and speak to you whenever they like, then YABVVVVU to speak to the receptionist like you have, and I'm not surprised she's walked out.

Moondust001 · 09/11/2019 13:55

I'm sorry but in general I think it's you that is being unreasonable. She's a receptionist. She's stuck in the middle between you saying you won't see people and them having arrived to see you. If you are managing your relationship with people correctly, then they KNOW that they don't just drop in to see you. Not a single one of my clients just drops in to see me, so they wouldn't turn up at the reception downstairs in the first place. That means we don't have this situation in the first place. If people are dropping in and telling her that you said it was ok, it is not her job to mediate your relationship with your clients. Nor is it her job to tell them they are lying to her about what you have said. It IS your job to ensure that your clients know that you see people by appointment only, and at that point you can tell her that the answer to any enquiry that hasn't got an appointment is "XXX is not available. Sorry. You will have to make an appointment".

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 9 10