The Evolving Role of AI in Office Management
As office tools get smarter, your office manager and front desk staff has more options at their disposal. Here’s what you need to know about the evolving role of AI in office management.
Customer Support Trends We’re Following in 2021
If you want to build a customer-focused culture, you need to stay on top of customer support trends. Here are the trends we’re following in 2021.
Remaining Bootstrapped and Capital Efficient as a Startup
Remaining capital efficient as a bootstrapped startup is important to us; our founder Andy Alsop shares why and how we aim to be capital efficient.
Visitor management system helps University of Calgary Downtown Campus increase security and move on from paper binders
The front desk at The University of Calgary Downtown Campus is constantly bustling with visitors. As with any educational institution, those guests are often there for very different reasons. From students and instructors to campus staff, contractors, and cleaners,…
Hiring a Receptionist for Your Long-Term Care Facility? Here’s What to Look For
If you’re working on your long-term care facility hiring plan, you may be wondering what to look for in an ideal front-desk staff. Here are the qualities we suggest assessing in the interview process for a long-term care facility receptionist.
Technology vs. People in Building Management: When to Use Each Resource
Optimizing your organization’s physical infrastructure and tools requires a perfect blend of human skills and technological tools. Here’s when to use each resource.
How to Create an Online Event People Will Enjoy
When creating an online event like a webinar or a demo, it’s time to change things up. Here’s how we make our live demos enjoyable.
5 Ways That Visitor Records Can Satisfy Regulatory Compliance
Visitor records can play an important role in regulatory compliance, especially if your company is in certain industries or is responsible for handling certain materials.
Modern PURAIR safely opens new headquarters and impresses visitors with a digital check-in system
Opening a new office is never an easy undertaking. Doing so during a global pandemic presents even more obstacles. Before Modern PURAIR, a full-service indoor air quality company, could open its new headquarters in Kelowna, British Columbia, the company required…
Looking Ahead: How the Market for Long-Term and Skilled Nursing Care is Changing
Just like any other business, long-term care facilities must get clear on what sets their services apart from competitors and stay in touch with what patients want in their care.
The Turtle Police: Solving Problems Effectively, The First Time
When it comes to solving problems and working effectively, a frenzied pace can be problematic. Enter, The Turtle Police.
How’s Your Office’s New Flex-Work Schedule Going? 5 Questions to Ask Employees
If your office has adopted a flex work policy due to COVID-19 , it’s time to check in and assess its effectiveness.
The Future of Visitation Policies at Long-term Care Facilities
Here’s how long-term care facility visitation policies will change in the future as we move forward with the knowledge gained from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Synergy of Simon Sinek’s Infinite Game and The Receptionist
When we learned about Simon Sinek’s concepts about business and leadership being an infinite game, we realized the synergy with how we operate.
An Introduction to Fractional Hiring (and How it Can Work for Your Company)
If your company isn’t in a position to hire a full-time executive team, you might want to consider hiring executives for just a few days a week. Here’s what you need to know about the trend of “fractional hiring.”
4 Signs Your Office Isn’t Ready for a Digital Guest Check-In System
Your office isn’t ready for a digital guest check-in system until you’ve established who will be responsible for making sure the program is updated and easy to use.
How Standups Enhance Communication and Connection
At The Receptionist, we use standups over slack and zoom (and eventually in person) to enhance communication and connection within the team.
The New Office Security Needs of a Post-COVID Workplace
Some of the ways that offices have had to adapt to COVID-19 may have increased certain security risks. However, you can keep your office safe by learning the best practices for office security after COVID-19.
Which of These Corporate Culture Types Fits Your Company?
There may be as many types of corporate culture as there are companies, but thinking about the most common factors that set companies apart clarifies the advantages of each approach.
When Are You No Longer a Startup?
Many founders wonder “When are you no longer a startup?” Our Founder discusses this idea on the podcast.
5 Customer Support Metrics to Monitor
These five customer support metrics may not show up on your help desk dashboard, but they can give you a ton of insight into how well your customer support operations are working.
4 Simple Tactics That Put Contact Tracing on Autopilot
Simple contact tracing methods for the office leverage the power of tools you may already be using to keep better track of who has contact with whom.
The Importance of Assuming Positive Intent
Assuming positive intent in the workplace may seem simple, but it requires more than you might initially think.
5 Types of Visits Your Office Should be Tracking
Collecting office visitor data can seem like a low priority, but it comes in handy in many unexpected ways. Consider tracking these visit types to get insights into office design, employee resources, and more.
WellnessSpace ensures visitor privacy and reduces front-desk stress with iPad check-in
Even before health and wellness co-working space WellnessSpace opened its doors in Houston, Texas, during the pandemic, co-founders Sunny Somaiya and Dr. Sonia Krish knew that the visitor experience would not look like what many are used to at healthcare…
How to Create a Hiring Plan for Your Office
If you’re expecting to grow your business in the near future, you should have a hiring plan. Here’s how to create one.
How to Excel at Remote Work
With many people working remotely, it’s important to understand how to excel at remote work.
Is it Time for an Office Lobby Redesign?
Although an office redesign always comes with some headaches, the era of COVID-19 might actually be a more convenient time than most to rethink your front office’s design and aesthetic. Here’s what to think in an office lobby redesign.
Technology vs. People in the Reception Area: Here’s When to Use Each Resource
In our latest blog post, we break down which office lobby tasks are best handled by technology, and which are best handled by a live front office staff.
How the Vision Traction Organizer (VTO) Transformed Our Business
The Vision Traction Organizer (VTO) is a tool our team has used for several years that has transformed our business. Here’s how.
4 Culture-Building Mistakes to Avoid
A strong workplace culture is crucial for success. Make sure to avoid the following culture-building mistakes, which can contaminate the values you’ve worked hard to instill.
The Role of the Administrative Assistant in a Post-Pandemic World
Office administration post-pandemic may look much different than it did beforehand.
Reflections on 2020 and Planning for 2021
Our leadership team shares their 2020 reflections and planning for 2021. Even with the challenges of 2020, we have a lot to be thankful for.
4 Tips for Safer In-Person Meetings in the COVID-19 Era
Safer in-person meetings can reduce or even practically eliminate the chance that disease will spread in the workplace. When-in person meetings are necessary, use these best practices.
How to Create an Upward Career Path for Your Administrative Assistants and Front Desk Team
Your managers need a plan for promoting administrative assistants so that you can retain the best talent over the long-term.
Our Thoughts and Findings About Returning to Work
Returning to work is on everyone’s mind as we wrap up 2020. We share what we’ve learned from customers about returning to work safely.
Maintaining Company Culture During a Crisis
Maintaining company culture is a lot easier when people aren’t stressed out. Here’s how to keep acting according to your values even when times are tough.
Feature Release: Dive deeper with new analytics views
Our latest feature updates for The Receptionist for iPad are all about analytics that give you even more information about who’s coming to your office, who they’re seeing, and what days are busiest for your team.
Visit Analytics by Day…
New Tools for Safer Workplaces in the COVID-19 Era
Disinfection and social distancing may be a little easier with help from these COVID-19 office safety tools.
Enterprise Sales Growth in 2020 (The Year We Were Not Expecting)
On the podcast, we chat about our enterprise sales growth in 2020: what changed, what we learned, and where we’re going.
How to Deal With Solicitors at Your Business
All businesses, especially small ones, have to deal with people stopping in unannounced to try to sell their services or solicit donations.
6 App Features That Admin Professionals Will Love
These time-saving apps for admin professionals allow your front desk staff to save hours of manual work on jobs like note taking, visitor check-in, and executive assistance.
How to Become a More Engaging and Authentic Presenter with Pitch Lab
Being an authentic presenter who engages people is a great goal, but how do you do that? Check out these tips from Pitch Lab.
What You Need to Know About Door Lock Options for Your Office
What You Need to Know About Door Lock Options for Your Office
Evaluating office door lock options? We explain what to consider when it comes to convenience and security in choosing a commercial door lock.
The Role of Leadership in Establishing Company Values
Leaders have to back up their values and policies with their own words, actions, and body language. In this post, we explore all the ways leaders are responsible for establishing company values.
How We’re (Still) Handling COVID-19: An Update with Founder Andy Alsop
Our strong company culture has carried us through this pandemic. Here’s an update from our founder about how we’re handling COVID-19.
3 Misconceptions About Visitor Management
You may have assumed that visitor management doesn’t deserve much attention at your office. However, that all depends on what you think the term “visitor management” actually means. Read on as we debunk the top three visitor management myths.
Getting Into the Flow: How to Pave the Way for Your Employees’ Optimal Productivity
It’s an employers’ responsibility to ensure their employees’ optimal productivity through smart office design, office culture that encourages deep work, and a conscious effort to eliminate distractions.
How to Communicate through Video, Authentically
If you want to differentiate yourself and cut through the noise, then creating authentic videos is what you’re looking for.
How to Design Your Office Visitor Log
Office visitor logs have taken on more importance in light of pandemic-related health concerns. Does your office log need an upgrade? Take these steps to design the perfect visitor log for your office.
Contactless check-in helps keep students, staff safe at U.S. Truck Driver Training School
The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a new spotlight on the importance of the transportation and logistics industry.
With more people eating and working at home, well-stocked grocery store shelves and on-time package delivery have never been more imperative.
One of…
What “Respect” Actually Means at Work
A word like “respect” may seem like it’s clear enough, but in practice, it may mean very different things to different people. Here’s what respect at work looks like to us at The Receptionist for iPad.
How to Onboard Remote Employees Well (Even During a Pandemic)
It’s important to onboard remote employees well. Our team shares how we help new employees get settled into their role and within the team.
An Out-of-Office Checklist for Your Front Desk Staff
Receptionists: Make sure the rest of your team is prepared to cover for you when you leave the office by using this checklist.
What Employers Need to Know About Contact Tracing
Employers also have an important role to play in informing employees of their coronavirus exposure risk. Here’s what employers need to know about workplace contact tracing.
How Coworking Space Wilshire1001 Adapted After Their March 1, 2020 Opening
When coworking space Wilshire1001 opened right before the pandemic really hit, they didn’t panic, they adapted.
Unstaffed reception areas can offer certain advantages over offices where every lobby visitor is greeted in person by a live receptionist.
The Top 5 Benefits of Unstaffed Reception Areas
Unstaffed reception areas can offer certain advantages over offices where every lobby visitor is greeted in person by a live receptionist.
A Quick Guide to Office Plants
Are you considering adopting a plant for your office or your personal desktop? Learn how to choose and care for an indoor plant in our quick guide to office plants.
The Receptionist for iPad helps Israel-based AeroCRS rapidly comply with new COVID-19 regulations
It’s safe to say 2020 has been a year of the unexpected. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant new regulations, new practices, and new challenges for every business.
AeroCRS, a SaaS company that provides end-to-end software solutions for the transportation industry,…
Let’s Grow!…Meet Our Growth Team
Having a growth team allows you to make the time to focus on a critical area of your business: growth. We talk about what, why, and how on the podcast.
What it Means to Have Internally Motivated Employees
Wondering how to motivate your employees? Forget the bonuses and perks and go back to the basics: a workplace where they feel both challenged and respected.
How to Hold Meetings That Respect Everyone’s Time
Follow these best practices for efficient meetings that respect everyone’s time and get the most out of each session.
Pivoting Our Marketing Plans
Pivoting our marketing plans was necessary as COVID-19 emerged. Learn how we continued to move forward and how we adjusted our marketing efforts.
What to Look for in a Residential Visitor Check-In System
Is your residential community considering investing in an electronic visitor check-in system in a response to the COVID-19 pandemic? Here’s what to look for in residential check-in systems.
6 Ideas for Boosting Your Office’s Curbside Appeal
Even if people aren’t coming inside much these days, your office still makes an impression. Here’s how to improve how your property looks from the street or sidewalk.
Adjusting to Meet Customer Needs
When it comes to adjusting to meet customer needs, we take an approach that’s collaborative with our customers and within our team.
What Does a “Fun” Office Look Like in the COVID Era?
Office morale may be more important than ever during difficult times like these. Here are a few ways your team can remember to laugh together despite the challenges brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic.
How to Execute Contactless Visitor Check-In Properly
Reducing the risk of disease transmission in your office lobby requires removing the human interaction and the need for visitors to touch shared check-in tools without creating security risks.
Aligning Your Perks and Benefits with Company Culture and Values
Employee benefits and perks are important, but ideally they’re aligned with your company culture and values and enhance an employee’s experience.
How to Deal With Employee Conflict in a Healthy Way
Employee conflict doesn’t have to detract from productivity at work. Make the best out of a diverse group of thinkers by dealing with conflict in a healthy way.
4 Steps to Supply Chain Compliance
When it comes to keeping their supply chains safe and in line with local regulations, industries’ needs vary.
For example, food manufacturers may need to keep a closer eye on timelines and temperatures to ensure food safety, and manufacturers of…
Having Courageous Conversations about Race and Diversity in the Workplace
Having diversity in the workplace is important, but not just to check a box. We have a courageous conversation with Dr. Ajita Robinson on this episode of the podcast.
3 Examples of Small Businesses That Innovated to Meet a Community Need
Innovative businesses can thrive even through difficult periods by adapting to what customers want and need. Here are a few examples of businesses that successfully created a new service for a local niche market.
Here’s How We Boldly Tackle Business Challenges
Tackling business challenges requires employees and leaders who are willing to be bold and listen respectfully. Here’s how we tackle business challenges at The Receptionist.
NYC co-op ensures resident safety amid COVID reopening with visitor management system
In April 2020, New York City emerged as the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States.
The city shut down in an attempt to stamp out the coronavirus’ spread, confining residents to their apartments, condos, and co-ops, with…
How to Nail Your Job Hunt
Our newest hires share how to nail your job hunt and give insight into the hiring process at The Receptionist.
How COVID-19 Could Change the Way Law Offices Operate
In the course of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, legal offices have had to change some things about how they work, how they hire, and how they communicate.
Feature Update: Contactless Check-In
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced business leaders around the world to rethink how they welcome visitors through their doors.
As more businesses reopen, it is essential to minimize the risk of spreading any virus or disease through reduced contact opportunities.…
Switch from paper to The Receptionist for iPad proves to be a ‘no-brainer’ for technology-forward Steelhead Composites
When they founded Steelhead Composites in 2014, the company’s leaders made it a point to incorporate technology into every part of the business.
The company is nearly paperless. Employees work on tablets. Data collected throughout daily operations drives business decisions.…
The Downsides of Remote Work
By now, you’ve probably heard and experienced plenty about the advantages of remote work for employers. But before going fully or permanently remote with your staff, consider the disadvantages of remote work.
Is The Customer Always Right?
When it comes to customer requests, is the customer always right? We chat on the podcast about our approach.
What Schools Should Change About Visitor Check-In When They Re-Open
Wondering how school visitor check-in will change in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic? Here are a few of the ways to change the ways you welcome visitors into your educational institution.
What will your post-COVID-19 reception area look like? Here’s how to design a safe, sanitary check-in process that makes your visitors feel comfortable.
Adjusting to the “New Normal” in the Reception Area
What will your post-COVID-19 reception area look like? Here’s how to design a safe, sanitary check-in process that makes your visitors feel comfortable.
The New Normal in the Workplace
Wondering about workplace changes and the new normal as we move through the COVID-19 pandemic? We discuss the new normal on the podcast.
Should You Expand Your Solo Therapy Practice Into a Group Practice?
If you’re considering transitioning from a solo practitioner to group practice, you’ll have to consider your budget, your long-term goals, and even how you like to spend your days.
Feature Update: ID capture visitor field
We are excited to introduce the ability to capture various forms of identification through a new visitor form field in the release of our newest version 4.4.
Users can now assign an ID capture field to any visitor check-in button…
Contactless check-in — a message from The Receptionist CEO Andy Alsop
Last week we sent out a customer survey to better understand the challenges our users are facing as stay-at-home mandates begin to relax and businesses re-open their doors.
So far, we have received tremendous feedback. To those who took the…
Which Industries Can Benefit From ISO Certification?
Is ISO certification right for your business? Learn more about these international standards and how certification can benefit you.
Credit: Shutterstock
Temperature screening — what we’ve found, how we’re responding, and what comes next?
As COVID-19 stay-at-home orders expire and businesses ease into opening their doors, a top concern has emerged: how to keep visitors and employees safe from a virus that hasn’t been eradicated?
When the coronavirus was initially growing into a global…
Having Fun as a Remote Team
Remote teams should be having fun and on the podcast we share all the ways we have fun as a remote team.
Common Mistakes Therapists Make When Starting Their Own Practices
Therapists aiming to start a private therapy practice may run into some unexpected obstacles. Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid when striking out on your own.
Thriveworks Counseling & Coaching seamlessly switches to The Receptionist for iPad
Thriveworks Counseling and Coaching co-owner Matt Matone’s process to find a simple and effective way to check in clients and notify staff that a guest had arrived was a winding journey.
Matone initially had video cameras installed in the lobby…
An Introduction to Warehouse Management
Any company that sells physical products must store those products before they’re sold to customers. Learn more about your options with these warehouse management basics.
Hiring for Culture Fit with Scalability Solutions
Scalability Solutions helps us hire the right people for our team, and find people who embody our culture and values.
A Guide to Hiring for Cultural Fit
Hiring for cultural fit is essential if you want to build a strong company culture. Here’s how employers can make sure that their team members will be a good fit.
Food and Beverage Manufacturers: An Introduction to Food Traceability
The food traceability tools that your food and beverage manufacturing company uses to track ingredients use can have a huge impact on the appeal of your products in the market.
The Brain Run: Contributing to the Solution for Mental Health Struggles
The Brain Run is a 5K race started by the MindShine Foundation and aims to contribute to the solutions for the challenges around mental health.
How to Encourage Better Relationships Between Sales and Engineering
Has there been any tension between the sales and engineering teams at your tech company? Try these tactics and mindset shifts to improve the way they work together.
The Receptionist for iPad gives compliance peace of mind at Phoenix Innovate
Michael Spalding is no stranger to visitor management systems.
In a previous role at a managed service provider, Spalding — now the Chief Technology and Compliance Officer at Phoenix Innovate in Troy, Mich. — interacted with different digital check-in systems…