Senate Properties provides reception services to many of its central government administration clients both at properties used by single and many clients. There is also a reception service in conjunction with shared work environments. The reception service employs reception guards who have security guard rights and whose task is to support the security and safety of the property’s premises and the people visiting it.
“Whereas ensuring the safety of the premises and their users is naturally a key part of the work of a reception guard, I feel that the majority of my work is customer service. I could name customer encounters as one of my most important, if not the most important, tasks,” says Ritva Tarkkonen, who has worked for ten years as a reception guard at the Metla House in Joensuu, adding:
“I act like a business card: I’m the first to meet newcomers and I can create a good image right from the start. For example, by greeting a person entering the building, everyone is welcomed and hopefully everyone feels welcome, whatever their business.”
The spice of the job lies in its variability
Tarkkonen starts her working day at 8am. The mornings are usually the busiest time and the afternoons are mostly quiet. Reception service responsibilities include access control and creating access control tags, key management, mail handling, taking care of meeting rooms and their equipment, and making maintenance requests. Surprising and unpredictable situations and how to resolve them are a separate chapter.
“No two days are the same in the work of a reception guard, which is definitely the spice of this job. Even though I do a lot of familiar things that have become routine, I also encounter unexpected questions every day,” Tarkkonen says.
When resolving unexpected situations, a reception guard is helped by an excellent knowledge of the property and close monitoring of matters concerning it. Tarkkonen encourages especially those at the beginning of their careers, but also those who are already more experienced, to actively move around the property they are working in, to look around and get to know the premises thoroughly. It is a good idea to write down the answers to the questions.
“Regardless of the field or job, I encourage everyone to constantly develop their own skills and actively explore new things.”
Mutual trust is the be-all and end-all
Tarkkonen says that paying attention to and listening to the customer and solving a problem or situation are the three most important jobs not only of a reception guard but also, in a broader perspective, customer service as a whole.
“In customer service work, it’s important to create mutual trust with customers – in this case, both with those who visit and work in the property and with Senate Properties. Getting things done carefully, quickly and competently is an important building block of this trust. Even small things can escalate if they are left half-way,” Tarkkonen says.
When answering the question about what makes a good reception guard, Tarkkonen mentions a surprising element – plasticine. She names adaptability to any situation, flexibility, prompt response and keeping calm as the most important qualities of a reception guard.
“A good reception guard is ready to put themselves and their expertise on the line every day to guarantee everyone an excellent customer and service experience and, of course, security and safety,” Tarkkonen sums up.
