First Impressions – International Receptionists' Day

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11 May 2021 | Updated 13 May 2021

Guest services provider Rapport is calling on all organisations to celebrate their front-of-house staff on International Receptionists' Day.

International Receptionists' Day is an opportunity to recognise and thank professional receptionists across all organisations.  The event is celebrated on the second Wednesday in May and this year falls on Wednesday 12^th May. 

Receptionists’ Day was first launched in 1991 in the US to celebrate the role of professional receptionists and the purpose of the day is to:

• Recognise the importance of the receptionist’s role. The receptionist creates that all-important first impression and is integral to the guest experience.
• Promote pride and professionalism amongst receptionists for the essential role they hold within an organisation.
• Give receptionists an opportunity to share stories and link up with other colleagues. Each year the initiative grows and is celebrated by companies across the globe.

Celebrating the Contribution of Receptionists

The official website www.internationalreceptionistsday.com will highlight a range of activities and initiatives which are open to everyone, to recognise and show gratitude to receptionists across the globe in all sectors from health care to hotels to the corporate sector, to name a few. 

As we return to the workplace following the pandemic and we look to the future, this year it is even more important to appreciate the valuable contributions made by receptionists and all organisations are encouraged to recognise and celebrate International Receptionists’ Day. 

There will be competitions open to all with some great prizes on offer. These include "Receptionist of the Future" in which participants create a recipe card detailing the qualities and special skills receptionists need to have in the coming years, as well as a reception-themed photo caption competition with prizes including spa treatments and theatre tickets. 

Rapport will be recognising their reception teams by hosting a range of activities based on the theme of "Feeling the part, looking the part, being the part". These include personal presentation virtual masterclasses, an open forum discussing growth mindset and positivity on Zoom before rounding off the day with a fun Receptionist-themed quiz. 

Providing "A Home Away From Home"

International Receptionists’ Day is also supported by The Association of Front Office Management (AICR UK), which is the association of Front of House managers of five-star hotels around the world. 

Nicola Miller, President of AICR UK, commented:

"AICR UK represents some of the UK's leading hotels and is always pleased to support International Receptionists’ Day, an important date in our calendar of events. The past year has been challenging for us all, with many of our receptionists being furloughed for long periods of time. Whilst many of them may have been away from doing what they do best – providing a warm welcome and a genuine sense of ‘home away from home’ for each and every guest – they are still so appreciated.

"This year we will make an extra special effort to show our appreciation for the amazing service that our teams deliver with passion and pride, which we know our guests are looking forward to as we re-open our doors.  We are calling on all our AICR UK members to celebrate with us and recognise our wonderful receptionists on this special day."

Greg Mace, Founder and Managing Director of Rapport added: “International Receptionists’ Day is the perfect way to celebrate the work of dedicated receptionists all over the world and we’re delighted to be getting involved once again. Supporting this initiative is an opportunity for us to celebrate the great work receptionists do and to raise their profile within our operations. This last year has been a tough one for so many front-line hospitality staff and we hope that every single receptionist who takes part will feel proud of what they do – they are truly exceptional people.”                    

Picture: a photograph of a person in a suit, securing a button on their jacket

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 11 May 2021

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