Receptionist Manual & Reference Guide
“ You see us First at First Team and we are First for you.” -Receptionist Team
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Table Of Contents
Introduction General Duties Administrative Customer Service/First Impressions OA/ Receptionist Cross - Training FAQ
1-3 4-5 6-7 8-9 10 11-12
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Introduction
The goal of this manual is to serve as an educational reference guide. Receptionist should use this manual as a guide for the day-to-day operations of the office. Whenever clarification is needed on a procedure or policy, for yourself or an agent, please refer to this guide. For assistance beyond that please contact Administrative Coach or the Administrative Supervisor and either will be happy to answer further procedural questions. This manual will also be utilized if coverage is ever needed so we can ensure that the office will run smoothly and efficiently in your absence. Please take the time to create a “Coverage” sheet for any duties that are specific to your office ( i.e. specific coffee machine instructions or daily activities you complete) that you can leave in your absence so you can be certain your coverage will complete all of your responsibilities while you are out. The position of the receptionist is considered to be very vital to the company. As a representative of the company and a cohesive element between the Home Office and each individual office, the receptionist is an essential part of the big picture. As a receptionist, you will serve as the eyes and ears of the office to ensure that service excellence is always being delivered. The receptionist is the first representation of our company and we strive to always make the first impression a lasting one. That being said, a professional image in both appearance and conduct is mandatory, as well as maintaining a professional and friendly demeanor.
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Office Maintenance Daily & Ongoing As mentioned above, the Receptionist plays an integral part in the efficentness of daily operations. You will be called upon to handle the front desk activities, general office duties, and also assist with special projects assigned to you by your OA or Manager. One of the primary functions of the receptionist is to maintain all areas of the office in a clean and professional manner. Below is a list of the GENERAL OFFICE DUTIES Daily Opening/Closing Procedures: ● Open the office in the morning/close the office at night ○ Unlock/lock all doors ○ Turn on/off all lights ○ Turn on/off phone. Check Voicemails timely. ○ Take out/bring in sign(If applicable) ○ Bring in all newspapers and display them in the proper areas ○ Make coffee for the office ○ If there are any unlocked doors or safety issues you are to report them to your manager. Daily/Weekly General Duties: ● Make sure the entire office is neat, orderly, and clean. ○ Lobby ○ Receptionist desk ○ Conference Rooms ○ Kitchen ○ Common Areas ○ Resource Rooms ● Answer incoming calls, transfer calls, take messages, and check voicemails timely and with above and beyond service. ● Greet agents as they arrive. ● Greet guests/clients as they arrive, offer them water/tea/coffee, accommodate them to a conference room or agent office as needed. ● Receive and sign for packages. 4
● Distribute incoming/send interoffice mail timely. ● Check mail and incoming faxes daily. Distribute to agents personally or in their mailbox/slot. Deliver Escrow checks and invoices to OA. ● Make sure chairs are pushed in and trash cans are under desks when you arrive in the morning and before you leave at night. ● Make sure the kitchen is well stocked and wipe down cabinets,fridge and microwave when needed. ● Check conference rooms periodically to ensure they are clean. Make sure chairs are pushed in and trash has been disposed of. ● Check the Resource Rooms to ensure that everything is working properly, fully stocked with all supplies, and is organized/clean. ● Check all fax machines , copy machines, and printers consistently to make sure they are working properly and fully stocked with paper and toner. It is recommended to stock paper and toner first thing in the morning, before/ after lunch, and before you leave for the night, or as needed. On Fridays before you leave, make sure the machines are fully stocked with paper and toner and there is extra left out for the agents to use. ● If there are issues regarding office machines, furniture, the building, etc; report them and follow up on the necessary repairs General Monthly Duties: ● Update agent roster ● Update BRE roster ● Audit Skyslope roster ● Audit First Place roster ● Update birthday list & send birthday cards/create announcements ● Coordinate luncheons/potlucks/events
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Administrative The Administrative duties that the receptionist performs are an essential part to office operations. From ordering the right amount of supplies to assisting the OA there is no task that is not deemed important as your act as the administrative liaison. It might also be helpful to create additional tabs for this manual mapping out your daily tasks. That way anyone at any given time can provide coverage and make sure all your duties are completed. Your administrative duties are not restricted to the following: ● Office Depot Ordering ○ Keep an ongoing weekly list of items that need to be ordered so as to only order the appropriate amount of supplies for the office. ○ Create all orders through Office Depot at: business.officedepot.com ○ All office orders must be submitted by noon on Wednesday and your items will arrive on the following day on Thursday. ● Toner & Ink ○ Order all toner through John Choplin at johnc@iprinttechnologies.com ○ Always have at least 2 of each toner & color for each machine on hand. ● Maintain all rosters and reports, and update as needed. ○ Rosters include: Phone, Birthday, Auto Insurance, BRE, License Expiration ○ Keep a printed roster visible on your desk & at updesk and update as needed ○ Post birthday list monthly in your office and on First Place. Send birthday cards weekly/monthly ● Maintain Office Calendar and update with any meetings, events, lunch and learns, workshops, etc. ● Announce new agents to the office, set up their mail box, desk, etc. ● Check C.A.R forms once a week and order any needed by Monday at 5pm using the order form on First Place- Field Team loop ● Assist with scheduling and reminding agents of monthly UpDesk if applicable to your office. Train agents on phones and voicemail for the UpDesk ● Train and assist agents with First Team tools as needed. ● Help in any way possible for weekly office meetings- Help set up and clean up breakfast/lunch, make copies of caravan, etc. Ask OA and Manager first thing in the morning what you can do to help. 6
● Promote and track results for contests or Agents Recognition if needed. ● Trust Log: Enters information on log and return to agent. Follow up with agent to ensure checks are returned to buyer or sent to escrow. ● TNT Reports(If applicable) : These are client calls regarding ADS. ○ ads. firstteam.com ○ Log-in : ■ Username: obtain from your OA ■ Password: obtain from your OA ○ “View My Reports” ○ “Client Ad call by Office” ○ Monday→Sunday (Prior week) ○ Print information and place in your TNT Reports or AD CALLS binder. (Which should be kept at the updesk for agents to use) ○ Print weekly or accordingly for your office. ● Prepare Caravan for the office ● Print ADS for the office Periodically check with your OA and Manager to see if there are any tasks they need assistance with. It is a key part of your role to be a team player and assist your OA in any way possible. You are an important part of the support staff in your office so always position yourself in a way where you are approachable and ready to lend a helping hand. These tasks can include anything from updating sales/listing boards, scanning, making files, writing letters, assisting with contests, events, meetings, ect. and a wide range of other assignments.
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Customer Service As was previously discussed, the Receptionist is usually the first person that clients come in contact with when they visit us in the branches. Receptionist responsibilities that are related to Customer Service, whether internally or externally, are of the utmost importance. It is imperative that we conduct ourselves in a manner that is conducive with the company values always keeping in mind the importance of service excellence and flexibility.
“ The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best but legendary. “ -Sam Walton, Founder of Wal-Mart Customer Service and Retention go hand in hand. We work hard to bring quality agents to our company by sharing with them our values, vision, and tools. We want to ensure that continues once the agents get out to the branches and they feel they can come to us for assistance with any need. By providing service excellence, being proactive and preventative in problem solving, we can promote a positive and comfortable work environment that is gratifying to all of our agents. ● Greet agents cheerfully by name when they come and leave the office for the day. Remember to always SMILE! ● Greet all guest/visitors to the office and always try and offer them A beverage (coffee, water,tea, etc) ● Always try to move guests to a conference room to wait for for the agent if there is one available. Let them know that the agent is on the way and keep the client updated on status if the agent is running late. ● Always answer the phone with a smile … it comes across in the tone of your voice. Also, try and utilize the phone greetings below: ○ Opening greeting ■ “ Thank You for Calling First Team Real Estate, this is ________ how may I assist you?” ○ Closing greeting ■ “ Once again, thank you for calling First Team Real Estate.
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First
Impressions
From the moment that anyone steps into one of our branch offices we want them to feel welcomed and comfortable. You can only make one first impression so we always want to make sure it is a positive and lasting one. Below are some tips to always take in consideration when thinking about making a great first impression. ● Dress Professionally and present a well-groomed appearance ● Always make eye contact. No matter how busy you are it is important to make eye contact and give them your full attention ● Give everyone a warm welcome and remember to always SMILE! ● Always offer a beverage and ask how you can assist them. Try and make them as comfortable as possible. ● No matter what project you are working on, try and keep your work area clean and free of clutter. When thinking of customer service it is always important to provide the best bearing in mind there is always a need to have a flexible approach to customer service. The ability to adapt in any situation, think on your feet, and ensure that we are in compliance with company standards are all key parts to your role with the company.
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OA/Receptionist Cross Training All receptionist should be cross trained in order to ensure flexibility and office efficiency in the absence of the OA. Office productivity is very essential and we want to make certain our staff can support all the office needs at all times. All receptionist should be trained to perform the tasks listed below: ● Processing of checks ○ Where the checks are held ○ When it is appropriate to release checks ● Processing of the New Hire Packet ○ Send the completed packet to hireterm@firstteam.com ○ Fill out the online form on the Branch Administration Site. ● How to add a CDA to the sales log ● How to process a Termination ○ Fill out the online form on the Branch Administration Site. ● How to process a Transfer ● Have access to a list of Important #’s: Broker BRE#, HUD/NAID#, Tax ID ● How to keep the Audit Lists updated (Phone List, BRE Roster, Auto Insurance, Birthday Roster, Etc.) ● Trust Log
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FAQ’s
During our day-to-day practices there are common questions that arise. Below is a list of the most commonly used numbers to assist you with answering any or all questions that come up.
Frequently Used Phone Numbers: ● Home Office : 949-988-3000 ● Information Technology: 1-800-267-4245 or support@firstteam.com ● Facilities : 949-988-3000, ext. 2660 and 2629 or facilities@firstteam.com
Important Numbers: ● Tax ID# 33-0311423 ● NAID/HUD # FTRESB1423 ● (William Plattos) Broker ID# 01008773
Important Websites: ● First Team Website- www.firstteam.com ● First Place- www.firstteam.yapmo.com ● Marketing Website- www.marketing.firstteam.com Computer Repairs - Call IT support for all computer repairs at 800-267-4245. You may also contact them via email at support@firstteam.com. Copier Repairs - All copiers are on service agreements. It is the OA’s, TC’s and receptionist’s responsibility to know how to operate the copier(s) in the office. It is the OA’s responsibility to call for repairs and keep a log of such repairs. Janitorial Services - Facilities works directly with your janitorial service in order to provide toilet tissue, towels trash bags, etc. Contact Facilities with any questions or anytime there is a lapse in services as soon as possible. Keys - Periodically, it may be necessary to change the locks and re-key the entire office. If the office is re-keyed, a new key must be sent to the Home Office.
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Office Repairs - There is a vendor list from which to choose a vendor for repairs such as lighting, plumbing, etc. If you have any additional questions contact Facilities. Pests - There is a vendor list from which to choose a vendor for pests. Check the vendor list for the pest control vendor nearest you. Plumbing - Unfortunately, all offices experience-plumbing problems occasionally, usually clogged sinks or toilets. Check the “Vendor List” for the plumber nearest you. Telephones - If you are having issues with the CISCO phone system contact the IT department at: 1-800-267-4245 Vendor List It is important to contact only First Team approved vendors to avoid being billed at the time of service. All vendors directed by Home Office and sent to First Team or Hallmark offices will be provided with a letter of authorization. All usual and customary vendors will be handed a “blanket authorization sheet”.If a vendor is directed to visit the office by Home Office, the letter will state what repair the representative is being sent to perform. This should take care of the confusion that sometimes occurs when a representative is not informed as to what work they are to perform. In the event the representative shows up in the office without an authorization letter, call Home Office immediately and ask to speak with someone in Facilities. The only verified First Team Vendors are as follows: -Office Depot -Iron Mountain -Arrowhead -Iprint Technologies -Ricoh -OC Fire Protection As always, if you have any questions, your admin team is always available to help. Lori Namazi- lorinamazi@firstteam.com Blake Mayer- blakemayer@firstteam.com Stephanie Ayers- stephanieayers@firstteam.com
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