How Your Receptionist Can Alienate People With One Word

“She’s not in yet” is what I heard through my cell phone. It was 9:40 AM. The “yet” is the part that really got me. Sadly, I get this from receptionists all the time.

What I love about the “She’s not in yet” law firms is that these are frequently the same people who explain that they have a receptionist instead of an automated attendant because their clients expect personal service. Is “She’s not in yet” really someone’s idea of personal service?

What does the client think when she hears the “yet”? “Oh, no problem, I’m sure she’s in court working for another client” or “I hate my lawyer, she took my money, she’s sleeping late, having breakfast in bed and can’t be bothered to take my call”?

It’s not the receptionist’s fault that she doesn’t know how to answer the phone. It’s our fault for failing to adequately train for the job. It’s important to teach our people how to deal with every interaction we can anticipate. The training needs to take place early and often and it needs to be documented and accessible to the employee.

Banish “she’s not in yet” from your office. Replace it with something that won’t turn off clients and potential clients. Alternatively, get an auto-attendant that only needs to be trained once.

Related articles:

  1. How One Word Can Spoil Your Prospective Client’s First Impression of You
  2. How to Eliminate Your Receptionist
  3. Are Your People Doing or Teaching?
  4. Why Do Some People Get More from Their Team?
  5. Good People Are Hard to Find (Even in a Recession)

  • Eloise

    Thank you Lee! The day before you posted this I overheard our receptionist saying “He hasn’t made it in yet.” Not just “yet” but “made it in” implying a special level of laziness. I’m soon going out on my own and I’m looking forward to engaging a well-trained auto-attendant.

    • Lee Rosen

      Fantastic, glad I could help. Good luck.

      Lee

  • Teresa Waldrop

    I totally agree with you, and Eloise, about “yet.” How about this one … I actually overheard an assistant use the phrase “let me disturb her” when a client called in to speak with me. I’d never thought of having to add that to the list of things not to say when answering my office phone .. but it’s on the list now.

    • Lee Rosen

      Wow. That’s a great one for the list.

      Lee

  • Ronnie

    This is an old post, but I felt compelled to comment. We share our office with another firm, where the attorneys (and staff) don’t come in prior to 10, and often not until 11. Of course, they get plenty of calls before then. We share receptionists, and they’re well trained to say, “so and so is not at his/her desk right now,” or “they’re not available at the moment, may I take a message?” Some clients know they’re not really there, but most remain none the wiser.

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