Just before Christmas Jane Streat, Head of LRS, hit the road and met up with three of her fabulous reception team, who work across different client sites.
In the first of our three mini blogs we’d like to introduce you to Erika. Here Jane catches up with Erika about her career and asks her what she enjoys about working in reception services…
J (Jane): Erika, thanks for taking the time out of your busy day to talk to me. So how did you get to where you are today?
E (Erika): I’m a hairdresser by trade and whilst I loved the people interaction that hairdressing offered I knew I needed a change. Then one day a friend of mine asked me if I would be interested in a role as a corporate receptionist for her company. I fancied a career change and went along for the interview – that was 15 years ago and here I am today!
J: What kept you in the role?
E: Although this wasn’t originally my chosen profession, I discovered I really enjoyed the variety. I worked my way up to being a Team Leader, then furthered my career and moved into a supervisory position, Reception Manager, and now I’m a Front of House Manager.
The combination of personal development and career progression along with the human interaction and the people I worked with certainly kept me in the role – but it’s probably my clients that have had the biggest impact on my decision to stay working in reception services.
J: What’s your most memorable moment in work over the last 15 years?
E: I would probably say it’s receiving my Leadership and Management Diploma. It was a year of hard work studying and passing this made me incredibly proud.
J: You Are a hairdresser by trade. If you could cut anyone’s hair who’s hair would you like to cut and why?
E: Cheryl Fernandez-Versini. Just because she’s beautiful and I would love to have a chat with her – it comes back to fabulous customer service of course!
J: Tell us, how do you cope with Monday mornings?
E: I’m one of those really annoying ‘morning’ people! This said I work with a great team and my customers and colleagues are lovely, which makes Monday mornings easy to deal with. Greeting them on a Monday morning seems to go down well so it’s nice to make everyone else’s Monday morning just by being myself!
J: When things get hectic in work how do you and your colleagues keep each other going?
E: I’m very lucky, one of the girls I work with every day is an amazing colleague and friend. No matter how busy and stressful things get, we are always guaranteed to laugh together. We have a lot of fun and both love our jobs.
J: What piece of advice would you give someone looking to move into reception services?
E: My tip would be this: “Always be yourself. But also make sure you do plenty of research on the company and role that you’re interviewing for.”
I was incredibly lucky in that interview 15 years ago that they saw something in me and I’m in a role and profession I love.
J: You’ve worked for LRS for a while now, what’s your favourite experience to date?
E: It has to have been helping launch and grow LRS as a company. It’s challenged me and enabled me to experience new situations and circumstances that I’ve really enjoyed.
J: What’s been you biggest challenge working in this industry?
E: The biggest challenge for me to begin with was that I felt I wasn’t a natural people person but this was more a perception than a reality.
J: Where have you personally experienced the best customer service?
E: You mean outside of LRS?! I recently received amazing customer service in a little B&B in Scotland. I was so impressed with the owner, absolutely nothing was too much trouble and her ability to make us feel totally relaxed and comfortable, whilst remaining professional, was very impressive.
