Key Difference: The Front Office Executive and the Receptionist have the same work to do. A front office executive is a person who works in a company’s front office, overseeing a variety of tasks or managing staff. A receptionist is a person who is employed to answer the telephone, attend to guests, clients, etc. Technically, there is no actual difference between the two, other than the name. 

First impression is utmost important for a corporate area. Thus, the front office executive and the receptionist play a very important role in it. They are the ones who can just by their way of talking and greeting, can change everything.

‘Front office executive’ is a person who works in a company’s front office. They deal with the frontline activities, that are to handle cash books, daily bank updates, couriers and dispatches, file maintenance and documentation, and assist in arranging the official meetings and conferences, and many more.

They usually have the work to deal with the customers. They are in the company to clear customer’s doubts and clarify their problems, if any. It’s not such an easy task. One needs to be very alert and active with all the work they are given. Front office is a place where one will get complete information about the department. They greet customers or clients, but their main duty is to give complete information related to the company.

Front office executive is usually physically positioned in a company’s front office, or the area of that company where clients or customers are received. Companies which commonly need the services of front office executives include medical treatment offices, construction companies, hotels, advertising agencies, and commercial retail businesses. They usually can shift to any other activity depending on the work for which they are allotted. They have the same abilities of an administrative assistant, as the duties are only slightly different.

Some of the responsibilities and duties of Front Office Executives are as follows:

• Greet all guests in a helpful and friendly manner.
• Check and ensure that the guest’s time and room are all registered.
• Develop detailed knowledge of the room’s locations, facilities, types, service and outlets.
• Understand and use properly the mail, parcel and message delivery.
• Answer calls with a proper manner.
• Noting down all the checkouts and check in of the housekeeping.
• Maintain the cleanliness and tidiness of the Front Desk Area at all the times.
• Always have to maintain their high standards of behavior and appearance.

Dictionary.com defines ‘receptionist’ as, “a person employed to receive and assist callers, clients, etc., as in an office.”

Receptionist is a person who is mainly employed to greet any visitors, customers, patients, clients or receive calls. There duties are to answer calls, directing visitors to their destinations, check important mails of the company, and many more.

The responsibilitiesof the receptionist is to greet visitors, respond to inquiries from the public, route and screen calls, and provide certain information about the company.

However, looking at front office executive and receptionist similarities in a nutshell, we can say that both have similar duties. They both should possess leadership abilities and good communication skills. Front office executives and receptionists sit at the front desk and manage everything and are more involved with the internal company matters. The operations they handle include: staff training, inter-department communications, and many more. Generally, receptionist is the person who sits at the front desk and greets clients and customers.

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