When we think of customer service, we often think of careers in sales, but office administrators are actually required to utilize customer service skills every day. Office administrators are the first people a client sees when they walk into a business or a health care office, and will often be the last person they talk to before they leave. Whether an administrator is working in a corporate setting, a small business, or a medical office, these four customer service tips will help to provide the best client care, and ensure the smooth functioning of the workplace.
Scheduling and Booking Appointments
If you’re working as an office administrator in a healthcare setting, it will be common practice to book appointments for patients. Whenever an office administrator books an appointment, it is customary to send a confirmation to the client (or patient) a few days before the scheduled date. The administrator may then send another reminder a day before the appointment. These confirmations may be sent over email, or by phone, depending on the client’s preference. Sending and receiving appointment confirmation saves valuable time which may be lost if a client forgets their appointment.
Clear Communication
Clear communication is a must-have for nearly any career today, from a community services worker job, to those working with clients in an office setting. Clear communication not only involves being efficient and polite with your words, but also going the extra mile to make your client feel like their business matters to the office. When on the phone, or talking to a client in person, make sure that they walk away with all their questions answered. If there is any hesitation on the client’s part while they are parting, it is the job of the office administrator to confirm that they have received the information they need.
Knowledge of the Office
Imagine if a graduate who had taken payroll courses didn’t organize their filing cabinet. Or if someone who had taken accountant training in Barrie misplaced a client’s financial information. An administrator who knows the office they are working in, and on a larger scale, the business they are working for, is an administrator who is doing their job well. Clients appreciate efficiency, and when an administrator can direct them to the services they need, they will appreciate that employee’s knowledge of the workplace.
Administrators can add that personal touch by remembering clients who come into the office on a regular basis, and addressing them courteously by name. An office administrator is often the first person a client meets at a business, therefore it is critical that the client gets an impression of politeness, knowledge and organization.
Patience
Patience is a virtue, and in an occasionally-hectic office setting, it is a necessary trait. When things get a bit stressful, which can sometimes happen in a medical office setting, the office administrator must be able to stay organized and effectively communicate with the client. Sometimes, things won’t always go according to schedule—clients will cancel last minute, an urgent situation will need to be taken care of—and an office administrator must be able to tolerate these changes, roll with the punches and make things work.
What other customer service skills are necessary in an office administration career?