Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

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

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:
SnuggyBuggy · 10/11/2019 17:34

Maybe, it sounds like the rules for impromptu meetings are a bit vague and maybe the receptionist doesn't know where she stands

Schwibble · 10/11/2019 18:26

OP you sound like a nightmare boss tbh. I feel sorry for your poor receptionist.

palaceinthesky · 10/11/2019 19:50

It sounds like you are overwhelmed and cannot manage your work load very well. Your customer service skills are quite lacking and you sound like a very inexperienced manager.

ThatMuppetShow · 10/11/2019 20:20

It sounds like you are overwhelmed and cannot manage your work load very well. Your customer service skills are quite lacking and you sound like a very inexperienced manager.

it sounds like you haven't got the faintest clue what you are talking about, and that you are confusing the OP - a manager - with a useless and rude receptionist who needs to go.

There are no lack of professional and suitable receptionist on the market to replace her and do a decent job.

Sashkin · 11/11/2019 03:21

it's actually not normal to have a steady stream of 'aggressive' and 'obnoxious' (both your words) clients - or 'randoms' - coming into the office every day demanding to see someone

Depends on what area she practices in surely? I imagine conveyancers and Notaries are probably fairly quiet, but I bet immigration law sees a steady stream of desperate people who need to get a lawyer on a deadline, who perhaps don’t have a great grasp of English, who might walk in off the street and insist on being seen? And probably stuff like criminal law, maybe family law if OP does contentious stuff like care proceedings.

JohnCRaven · 11/11/2019 07:05

I'm thinking CAB or similar. Lots of people want to beat the system even when the system says to access it you need to go down a particular route.

Signs
Don't answer the phone
Reminder to referers about appointments only
Reminder to her her job is to gate keep and there are no exceptions.

SnuggyBuggy · 11/11/2019 07:20

It's not that unusual in some areas to have a lot of rude demanding service users. We even get a few patients who like to turn up and pick fights with receptionists and security by making up that someone had told them to come in or that someone had phoned them to change their appointment (often to a day or time when no clinic was running).

We end up remembering the names and logging all their calls word for word because of the lies of "Susan told me the consultant would drive over to the A&E department 10 miles away to take over my care" they'd spout. I didn't half feel sorry for the front line staff dealing with these people.

DocusDiplo · 11/11/2019 07:26

Yanbu OP. Good luck.

DocusDiplo · 11/11/2019 07:27

Receptionist should be making the office.run smoothly. Very problematic she is friends and socialises with the manager.

Original poster
Waytooearly · 11/11/2019 11:06

So update: she showed up as usual and began working. I said good morning as usual and she grunted.

Later I met with manager who relayed that she felt I'd snapped at her because I believe she's a lowly receptionist.

We talked about some support and scripts for her, skill-building etc.

I said to manager I was a bit concerned about the screaming obscenities and I was like, "So has she un-quit?" Manager kind of mumbled, "Well yes we'll have to keep an eye on that".

OP posts:
Original poster
Waytooearly · 11/11/2019 11:07

I don't know. Should I invite receptionist to a coffee and chat?

OP posts:
Original poster
Waytooearly · 11/11/2019 11:08

A sort of, "Sorry for snapping and making you feel disrespected?" gesture?

OP posts:
SnuggyBuggy · 11/11/2019 11:13

I think coming up with some consistent rules for drop ins and an answerphone message would be a good way to move this forward

Gottobefree · 11/11/2019 11:23

First you need to stop telling clients they can just pop in. That's not the receptionists fault and makes their job difficult because they have to face to face with the clients and keep delivering bad news (the clients journey has been wasted)

Also why don't you have a calendar system where you block off times where you can't spare time or be contacted. Make it black and white.

Receptionists have to be professional towards the clients and also try to read your mind. I think your office can benefit from putting into place a new system.

PigletJohn · 11/11/2019 11:41

Maybe you could say you're sorry things went badly on Friday, does recept have any ideas for improvement? No point in making more enemies.

I'd go for "sorry not available without appointment" and you must tell the clients the same IF you're going to answer the phone. You have to reinforce the message to the client, supportively, not reprimand recept for attempting to help.

If you have a networked diary you could block out appointments and not-available times so that it's possible to see when you are available to answer the phone.

Who keeps your appointments diary? If recept can book in callers that will be less antagonistic than just telling them to go away.

RiotAndAlarum · 11/11/2019 11:44

Coffee and a chat will make it too personal, whereas she is already struggling to keep to boundaries. No wonder she's struggling with the job of fobbing people off, in order to protect your working time and protect clients when it is their turn.

It's a pity to set boundaries inside the organisation, but if she isn't able to hold the line against outsiders, you'll have to set up your own defences.

Your/ her manager may be her friend, but if the manager is unwilling to face any unpleasantness by managing inappropriate interruptions, then surely she's not going to risk unpleasantness with you! Presumably it would be a disaster if you quit, whereas receptionist skills as

RiotAndAlarum · 11/11/2019 11:44

Coffee and a chat will make it too personal, whereas she is already struggling to keep to boundaries. No wonder she's struggling with the job of fobbing people off, in order to protect your working time and protect clients when it is their turn.

It's a pity to set boundaries inside the organisation, but if she isn't able to hold the line against outsiders, you'll have to set up your own defences.

Your/ her manager may be her friend, but if the manager is unwilling to face any unpleasantness by managing inappropriate interruptions, then surely she's not going to risk unpleasantness with you! Presumably it would be a disaster if you quit, whereas receptionist skills as

RiotAndAlarum · 11/11/2019 11:47

...are more widespread. (I have temped as a receptionist, and do respect the work, but the proof that receptionists are to an extent replaceable was that I was the "replacement"!)

DarlingNikita · 11/11/2019 11:50

I don't know. Should I invite receptionist to a coffee and chat?
No!
You've done the right thing in talking about practical ways to support her.
She needs to get over it, stop grunting and be professional.
What did you say to the manager about the 'lowly receptionist' stuff?

NormaBean · 11/11/2019 12:02

I don't know. Should I invite receptionist to a coffee and chat?

NO.

You want to apologise to her for her being unprofessional? Leave her to it. She has some training to get on with.

Original poster
Waytooearly · 11/11/2019 12:15

Gottobe, I have said a dozen times that I don't tell people to drp in without appointments!

Too late, we're have a hot chocolate appointment this Friday

OP posts:
Notverygrownup · 11/11/2019 12:22

A hot chocolate appointment sounds v civilised (and much better than a coffee and a chat).

Well done for framing it with your manager that she needs support/scripts etc for dealing with the clients who are putting her under pressure. Don't forget to do the signs for your door which state that you do never offer drop in appointments/consultations and that all visits, without exception, must be made via appointment.

ReanimatedSGB · 11/11/2019 12:46

It might well be helpful to have a chat with her, and to ask her for suggestions as to how to solve the problem. Though you will need to be very firm about the fact that a 'solution' which is you dropping everything to see some demanding pest on her say-so is not an option.

DuckyGoLightly · 12/11/2019 04:43

I think people are assuming this is a corporate type role but it seems OP's clients are struggling.

Flowers I think it's about clear boundaries and if OP,'s receptionist can't deal with that then manage her out.

SnuggyBuggy · 12/11/2019 07:47

I think maybe there is a case for you being more of a bastard so to speak in that you never ever agree to come down to see someone who has popped in even if you can. Also I think in hindsight you should not have picked up that minutes later phonecall. Being nice in these situations can backfire as people don't know where they stand and it encourages them to try it on.