WHAT DOES A RECEPTIONIST DO?

Published: Dec 11, 2025 - The Receptionist greets and assists visitors and clients, provides general information, and directs them to the appropriate contacts while handling incoming calls with professionalism and confidentiality. This role involves managing mail and deliveries, maintaining building security procedures such as monitoring visitor logs and issuing badges, and updating appointment calendars and meeting schedules. The receptionist also performs routine clerical tasks, sets up meetings, facilitates conference calls, manages conference rooms, and ensures the availability of audiovisual equipment.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Receptionist

1. Receptionist Responsibilities

  • Technical Inspection: Check the goods that have been received against the PO.
  • System Logging: Log the goods being delivered on the system.
  • Inventory Handling: Move the goods to the appropriate location.
  • Administrative Support: General admin, including printing, scanning, collating files, copying documents, filing, etc.
  • Service Coordination: Responsible for arranging callouts.
  • Asset Management: Accountable for maintaining the equipment register.
  • Timesheet Entry: Input employee timesheets.
  • Tracker Reporting: Responsible for tracker reports.
  • Procurement Processing: Raise purchase orders from purchase requisitions.
  • Stock Ordering: Responsible for ordering stock.
  • Travel Booking: Book travel and accommodation.
  • Invoicing Assistance: Assist with service invoicing.
  • Job Creation: Raise jobs in the system.
  • Quote Log Management: Manage and maintain the quote log.
  • WIP Maintenance: Maintain the WIP report.
  • Quote Raising: Raise quotes on the system.
  • Planner Updating: Update the engineer’s planner on the system.

2. Receptionist Overview

  • Visitor Reception: Meet and greet visitors to the building.
  • Mail Handling: Handle postal correspondence and courier parcels.
  • Mailroom Duties: Responsible for general mailroom duties.
  • Office Supplies: Responsible for ordering office materials.
  • Courier Service: Responsible for the weekly courier service.
  • Record Keeping: Accountable for keeping relevant records.
  • Shipment Preparation: Cooperate with courier companies in the field of shipment preparation.
  • Mailroom Cleanliness: Take care of cleanliness and order in the mailroom.
  • Call Management: Take care of the incoming calls.
  • Expense Administration: Administrate employee settlements (expenses).
  • Document Administration: Responsible for document administration.

3. Receptionist Roles

  • Reception Administration: Ensure administrative activities in the reception.
  • Correspondence Distribution: Distribute correspondence (received/sent), centralize and send to every department the received documents.
  • Phone Handling: Answer the reception phone and ensure the inside-outside connections.
  • Event Support: Provide support for event organization inside the company.
  • Guest Reception: Welcome guests and guide them to colleagues who are expecting them.
  • Meeting Protocol: Ensure protocol for meeting rooms.
  • Invoice Processing: Be in charge of invoice processing (courier services, stationery, etc.)
  • HQ-Plant Communication: Ensure communication between headquarters and plants.

4. Receptionist Duties

  • Visitor Sign-In: Responsible for signing in visitors.
  • Safeguarding Compliance: Follow safeguarding processes.
  • Call Handling: Answer phone calls and deal with queries.
  • Post Management: Handle incoming and outgoing posts.
  • General Administration: Carry out general administration.
  • Student Information Access: Check SIMS to access student information.
  • Petty Cash Handling: Responsible for handling petty cash.

5. Receptionist Details

  • Call Management: Responsible for making and taking phone calls.
  • Visitor Sign-In: Sign in visitors to the school according to the school's safeguarding policy.
  • Message Handling: Take and pass on messages to the relevant members of staff.
  • Document Processing: Responsible for filing, scanning and photocopying.
  • Correspondence Distribution: Accountable for typing and distributing newsletters and other school correspondence.

6. Receptionist Roles and Details

  • Frontline Representation: Represent Tesla as the first point of contact for all employees and visitors.
  • Visitor Greeting: Responsible for greeting and guiding visitors.
  • Security Support: Support with all security measures taken to protect visitors and employees, such as access rights and NDAs.
  • Meeting Coordination: Organize and book meeting rooms.
  • Post Distribution: Distribute incoming posts to respective teams.
  • Security Escalation: Document and escalate security risks.

7. Receptionist Roles and Responsibilities

  • Call Handling: Responsible for answering telephone calls (transferring and taking messages).
  • Mailbox Management: Responsible for managing mailboxes.
  • Meeting Booking: Accountable for booking meetings.
  • Customer Support: Be in charge of answering customer queries.
  • Delivery Coordination: Accountable for organising deliveries.
  • Customer Greeting: Meet and greet customers/clients.

8. Receptionist Responsibilities and Key Tasks

  • Client Service: Work directly with the clients and provide a professional service.
  • Event Coordination: Ensure the events of the day run smoothly.
  • Appointment Booking: Arrange appointments and book meeting rooms.
  • Post Distribution: Responsible for distributing the daily post.
  • Caller Contact: Accountable for contacting all callers to the business.
  • Team Punctuality: Responsible for the punctuality of the rest of the reception team.

9. Receptionist General Responsibilities

  • Client Reception: Receive incoming calls, greet clients and visitors.
  • Mail Forwarding: Responsible for forwarding mail and priority mail.
  • Document Formatting: Accountable for typing and formatting various documents (invoices, letters, charts, etc.)
  • Catering Coordination: Coordinate catering services for meetings, including the reservation of meeting rooms.
  • Cash Receipt Preparation: Responsible for preparing cash receipts.
  • Administrative Support: Perform various related administrative tasks.

10. Receptionist Functions

  • Guest Welcoming: Accountable for welcoming guests and members.
  • Check In Out: Responsible for check-in and check-out of guests and members.
  • Concierge Services: Responsible for concierge tasks.
  • Call Reservation Handling: Receive and handle phone calls and reservations.
  • Request Coordination: Coordinate and organize guest requests.

11. Receptionist Details and Accountabilities

  • Guest Greeting: Greet and welcome guests to the hotel.
  • Guest Registration: Register the guests and take payment.
  • Guest Assistance: Answer any queries the guest may have on in-house facilities and tourist information.
  • Key Security: Take responsibility for the security of the keys.
  • Information Updating: Update all guest information in the computer.
  • Reservation Handling: Take and confirm reservations for guests.

12. Receptionist Roles

  • Visitor Greeting: Meet and greet visitors.
  • Facilities Support: Support the facilities coordinator.
  • Inquiry Handling: Answer inquiries directly or direct calls to the appropriate employee.
  • Security Procedures: Maintain security and safety procedures.
  • Reception Appearance: Maintain the professional appearance of the reception, lobby and meeting rooms.
  • Supply Maintenance: Maintain adequate stationery and kitchen supplies.
  • Courier Handling: Handle courier reports and bookings on a case-by-case basis.

13. Receptionist Duties

  • Customer Contact: Contact customers by telephone, email and in person.
  • Customer Service: Ensure a high level of customer service, escalating any issues to the Commercial Director.
  • Sales Administration: Accountable for general administrative duties to support the sales department.
  • POD Processing: Be in charge of processing POD requests for customers.
  • Special Assignments: Undertake duties and special assignments allocated by the Commercial Director.
  • Room Booking: Responsible for booking conference rooms.
  • Travel Booking: Responsible for booking accommodation, flights, car hire and car parking via the main receptionist.
  • Refreshment Arranging: Arrange lunches and refreshments.

14. Receptionist Job Summary

  • Call Handling: Answer switchboard calls.
  • Customer Greeting: Meet and greet customers entering the building.
  • Safety Screening: Ensure visitors complete the health and safety screening.
  • Diary Management: Maintain the online diary for meeting rooms.
  • Post Management: Responsible for outgoing and incoming post.
  • Document Filing: File on the document management system.
  • Administrative Support: Accountable for general admin tasks.

15. Receptionist Essential Functions

  • Call Management: Manage and direct all incoming calls.
  • Email Response: Respond to email enquiries.
  • Courier Coordination: Organise couriers and distribute mail and deliveries.
  • Visitor Greeting: Meet and greet visitors to the building on arrival in a friendly and professional manner.
  • Meeting Room Booking: Manage room bookings.
  • Office Tidiness: Ensure office, meeting rooms, kitchen, breakout and utility areas are kept in a neat and tidy condition.
  • Catering Arrangement: Order catering and set up meeting rooms for office events or functions.
  • Stationery Restock: Order and restock office stationery supplies.

16. Receptionist Roles and Details

  • SIMs Updating: Update the SIMs database.
  • Stakeholder Liaison: Liaise with parents, students, staff and external stakeholders.
  • Switchboard Management: Manage the switchboard in a professional manner.
  • Message Forwarding: Responsible for forwarding messages.
  • Attendance Chasing: Responsible for chasing up attendance issues.
  • Reprographics Support: Assist with reprographics and school promotional material.
  • Administrative Support: Responsible for ad hoc administrative tasks as requested by the office manager.

17. Receptionist Responsibilities and Key Tasks

  • Call Handling: Answer and direct incoming phone calls.
  • Client Assistance: Responsible for welcoming and assisting clients.
  • Appointment Scheduling: Responsible for scheduling appointments.
  • Estimate Logging: Accountable for logging estimates.
  • Log Maintenance: Accountable for maintaining logs.
  • Information Updating: Update information in the system.

18. Receptionist Responsibilities

  • Guest Greeting: Greet and welcome guests as soon as they arrive at the office.
  • Call Handling: Answer, screen and forward incoming phone calls.
  • Information Provision: Provide basic and accurate information in person and via phone and via email.
  • Form Processing: Process internal and external form requests in a timely manner.
  • Mail Distribution: Receive, sort and distribute daily mail/deliveries.
  • Clerical Support: Perform other clerical receptionist duties such as filing, photocopying, transcribing, faxing, etc.

19. Receptionist Overview

  • Warm Atmosphere: Create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all staff and visitors.
  • Call Handling: Answer all incoming calls in a friendly manner.
  • Administrative Support: Provide administrative support across a diverse range of areas.
  • Supply Management: Manage the ordering and distribution of office supplies.
  • Office Tidiness: Ensure the office area is always kept neat and tidy.
  • Brand Representation: Represent Compass Group UK&I and maintain a positive brand image.

20. Receptionist Roles

  • Procedure Oversight: Oversee administrative procedures and processes.
  • Appointment Booking: Book and amend appointments.
  • Inquiry Handling: Answer any telephone or email enquiries.
  • Record Updating: Responsible for updating patient records.
  • Practice Support: Support the Head Receptionist and clinical team with the smooth running of the practice.

21. Receptionist Responsibilities and Key Tasks

  • Call Handling: Answer and direct incoming calls to the appropriate individuals.
  • Message Retrieval: Retrieve and forward messages received in the general mail box.
  • Visitor Greeting: Greet all visitors and applicants in a professional and courteous manner.
  • Customer Assistance: Assist the customer with basic requests such as address and contact information.
  • Mail Processing: Sign for packages, receive and sort incoming mail, distribute to the appropriate individuals and prepare outgoing mail.
  • Supply Management: Maintain inventory of and order office supplies.
  • Equipment Maintenance: Maintain office equipment such as copiers and set up maintenance and repair.
  • Front Desk Appearance: Maintain front desk appearance and cleanliness.
  • Administrative Support: Assist with other administrative duties and day-to-day tasks.

22. Receptionist Duties and Roles

  • Visitor Greeting: Greet visitors and clients, providing general information and direction to appropriate contacts.
  • Call Screening: Answer and screens incoming calls, using independent judgment and maintaining confidentiality.
  • Visitor Service: Serve visitors by greeting, welcoming, directing and announcing them appropriately.
  • Mail Handling: Receive and sort daily mail/deliveries/couriers.
  • Security Procedures: Maintain security by following procedures and controlling access (monitor logbook, issue visitor badges).
  • Calendar Management: Update appointment calendars and schedule meetings/appointments.
  • Clerical Tasks: Perform routine clerical tasks (i.e., copying, faxing, filing).
  • Meeting Coordination: Set up meetings, manage conferencing rooms, facilitate conference calls and provide audiovisual equipment.

23. Receptionist Overview

  • Inquiry Contact: Contact for incoming enquiries into the office.
  • Call Email Handling: Answer the phone and emails promptly and in a polite manner.
  • Administrative Support: Support the team with administrative tasks such as filing, laminating and arranging bookings.
  • Weekly Reporting: Responsible for weekly reporting.
  • Stationery Refreshment Ordering: Ensure that all office stationery and refreshments are ordered.
  • Information Management: Manage and maintain company information lists.
  • Managerial Requests: Perform any other reasonable request by the manager or directors.

24. Receptionist Job Summary

  • Front Desk Maintenance: Keep the front desk tidy and presentable with all necessary materials (pens, forms, paper, etc.)
  • Guest Greeting: Greet and welcome guests.
  • Query Handling: Answer questions and address complaints.
  • Call Management: Answer all incoming calls and redirect them or keep messages.
  • Mail Receipt: Receive letters, packages, etc. and distribute them.
  • Outgoing Mail Preparation: Prepare outgoing mail by drafting correspondence, securing parcels, etc.
  • Email Processing: Check, sort and forward emails.
  • Supply Monitoring: Monitor office supplies and place orders.
  • Record Keeping: Keep updated records and files.
  • Expense Monitoring: Monitor office expenses and costs.
  • Additional Duties: Take up other duties (travel arrangements, schedules, etc.)

25. Receptionist Roles and Responsibilities

  • Call Handling: Answer phone calls and take down messages.
  • Visitor Check In: Check people in when they arrive and create a welcome reception or lobby area.
  • Appointment Scheduling: Schedule appointments for the employees of the office.
  • Food Ordering: Order food for various events.
  • Mail Sorting: Sort mail and sign for packages.
  • Document Processing: Fill and scan documents.
Relevant Information
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