FRONT OF HOUSE
MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE...
Ian Robertson, Director at Propertyserve UK explains why you should pay more attention to your Front of House services.
When you hear the term 'front of house', it almost conjures up images of reception areas - whether in a hotel or an office building.
But, in our world, it means the provision of a helpdesk and procurement service - we act as the first port of call for all contractors, FMs and tenants when it comes to property issues. Our aim is to bring about a resolve for all parties, and to ensure the smooth running of a building at all times. Not an easy task at the best of times, but experiences have led us to appreciate that the provision of a 'best of breed' service will result in both repeat and new custom, time and time again.
At least 70% of the time, the reasons for contact being made to the helpdesk don't seem mission critical. But, in the eyes of the third party - the tenant or the FM - the matter is a serious one. A blown light bulb may seem trivial, but for someone having to work or operate in the affected area, it requires immediate attention. Put it this way, if they have taken the time to log or report the issue, you have to appreciate that it will be impacting them and their working life.
THE ROLE OF THE FRONT
OF HOUSE Front line staff need to be empathetic and sympathetic to the person at the other end of the line. They need to have the ability to manage expectations from the outset and to have a base level of knowledge about the issue and the property in question, in order to be able to reassure the person at the end of the phone. They need to demonstrate that they recognise and value the issue, and
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that they will be doing their utmost to put measures in place to fix it.
This doesn't necessarily mean they have to provide a solution there and then, they need to show understanding and to reassure the affected person(s) that even though they don't have the answer, they have access to the people that will. Anyone acting as 'front of house' needs to show real knowledge and not just pay lip service or to act as a glorified answering service.
Your front of house has to be incorporated into your entire ethos. They should be aware of tenants moving out and in, change of contractors, project works happening and security threats. They then need to seamlessly transfer this information to tenants.
QUALITY IS PARAMOUNT Good front of house staff should
add value to your business. Paying minimum wage will result in the provision of nothing more than an answering service. There should be a real emphasis on quality and trying to create an extension of the overall service. At the end of the day, they are acting as the face of your business. This is a medium- to long- term strategy, and not a quick fix.
TAKING THE PROBLEM
AWAY Front of house needs to appreciate that when they were approached they were given a problem - a problem that they - ultimately need to relinquish and to take away.
The person at the end of the phone needs to feel confident that front of house has understood the issue in hand, asked all the relevant questions
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