The First Contact with the Outside World award is based on a simple fact: The first impression, most people get of your company is from the person who answers the telephone.
I've spent a lot of time on the phone recently and have been struck by the huge variation in the manner in which enquiries are handled. Implied is a widespread (but thankfully not universal) indifference, on the part of management, to the first impression callers receive. The caller could be anyone. It could me checking the state of play with a development or chasing a story. It could just as easily be a landlord looking to place a six figure instruction.
Many, of course, are very good. Not only aiming to be helpful, the best also make sure they are in possession of the information and understanding actually to be helpful. Others, however, are less impressive. I suspect that the problem lies more with industry attitudes than with the quality of staff on the switchboards.
I'll set aside the major (and I mean major ) surveying practice that let the phone ring for so long that the BT operator cut in to inform me that my call had not been answered. Also, I'll disregard the large property developer that left me wondering why the voice was so faint. It wasn't until I had occasion to visit the office that I discovered why. The receptionists seemed under the impression that the handset worked best with the mouthpiece at throat level. These are special cases.
It is way in which the strategies for dealing with calls reflect the inadequacy of many employers' training that is interesting. Few, for example, seem to take the trouble to explain the meaning of the word "acquisition". Just because you, (an agent, say), with years of experience understand, it does not logically follow that a receptionist thrown in at the deep end will realise that "what property is that?" is not an especially productive question.
Then, of course, there is the "if in doubt put it through to management" approach. I'm not quite sure how that one developed, but I'll bet it irritates management surveyors no end. I am somewhat less surprised at the very common "look, I've answered your call, what more do you want?" tone. This can only be the result of employers failing to understand the logistics of two people answering 20 simultaneous calls. That, of course, is the real problem.
For heaven's sake, when are employers going to realise how hard the work done by these women (when did you last see a male receptionist?) can be? Take the trouble to ensure that they have the time to be courteous and the know-how to be helpful. Some already have. But nowhere near enough. It's not expensive and who knows what the next call will be about?
And so, to the winner, selected, after an exhaustive survey, by the democratic process of my opinion: Sadly, I've had to disqualify the excellent HBH central London teams, on the simple grounds that I cannot possibly vote for people with whom I've got drunk.
For sheer professionalism, Hammerson are always difficult to beat: well briefed, efficient and polite they are, however, narrowly edged out. As is the way with such things, I have no idea what the winner's name is, but she answers the phones at The Grosvenor Estate. Her quiet and unpretentious courtesy provides a textbook lesson in First Contact with the Outside World.
You may have your own nominations. If you do, you shouldn't write in. Try employing the most under-used words in business. Try saying thank you.
© 1995 Ian Cundell
Originally published in modified form in Estates Times