1. Chapter 10
Scheduling Appointments
and Receiving Visitors

2. Scheduling Appointments and Receiving
Visitors

Making Appointments

Receiving Visitors

Managing Diverse Situations

Office Security

Ethics and Visitors

Hosting International Visitors

3. Making Appointments

Keeping an appointment schedule

You and your manager should each keep an appointment schedule

Learn manager’s preference for scheduling appointments

Which appointments should be given priority

How much time for appointments

4. Making Appointments
(continued)

Learn manager’s work habits

Become aware of who manager’s business associates and friends are

Learn how manager works in peaks and valleys of his or her job

5. Making Appointments

(continued)
Appointments made by telephone or e-mail

Confirm whether manager is person caller should see

Does manager approve all appointments?
 If so, check before confirming
 If not, indicate a follow-up call only if a conflict exits

Confirm date, time, and location

6. Making Appointments
(continued)
 Using an electronic calendar

Located on personal computer or network

Switches easily to from another application

Allows accurate, up-to-the-minute schedule

Can be shared by you and manager

7. Making Appointments

(continued)
Software, such as Microsoft Outlook, takes you beyond a typical calendar
 Combines several functions with calendar
 Allows you to “connect, communicate, and collaborate”

Schedules group meetings

Manages client information–tracks location and schedules meeting

Others?

8. Making Appointments

(continued)
Using Web-based calendars

Available for use free on Internet

Useful for the following reasons
 Stores information online
 Is communal, plugged in, and wired to the world
 Is available in various languages
 Is integrated with e-mail, address books, instant
messaging and areas where community groups can
publish material

9. Making Appointments
(continued)
 Useful for the following reasons cont’d.
 Events can be either
 Totally private
 Visible to everyone on the Web
 Allow people to see which time slots are booked, but can’t see
purpose
 Features
 Share your schedule
 Can access calendar on the go
 Never forget another event again
 Schedule meetings and track RSVPs
 Sync with your desktop applications
 Work offline

10. Making Appointments

(continued)
Using paper desk calendars

Computer software is not the answer in all situations
 Limited computer capacity
 Manager may keep own calendar and not take time to enter information on
computer

11. Making Appointments

(continued)
Choose appointment calendars and yearbooks that meet both you and
your manager’s needs

Page for a month

Page for each week

Page for each day

12. Making Appointments

(continued)
Executive appointment books and calendars

Consider manager’s commitment
 Make appointments months in advance

Need a full month calendar displayed on one page
 Make several appointments in one day


Need a daily appointment calendar
Electronic organizers
 Includes calendar, schedule, and address area

13. Making Appointments

(continued)
Office professional’s daily appointment calendar

Preprinted desktop calendar divided into 15- or 30-minute segments

Use to enter everything within a given time slot
 Manager’s appointments
 Things to be taken care of by manager
 Things to be taken care of by you
 To-do list of tasks you must perform

14. Making Appointments

(continued)
Making entries in desk calendars

Appointments should be entered in your and your manager’s calendars

Adopt system for making entries

Make tentative entries in pencil

Make confirmed entries in ink

Once meeting or task is complete, draw a diagonal line through it

15. Making Appointments

(continued)
Record appointments confirmed
 Incoming letters and e-mail messages
 Outgoing letters and e-mail messages

Compare appointments daily
 Transfer information–manager’s and your calendars should be identical

Discuss incomplete items
 Transfer any item that still needs attention to next day

16. Making Appointments

(continued)
Type a separate note on each one when not sure manager
 Returned phone calls or made promises to call
 Ask manager of status on each



Discard unnecessary notes
Give your manager others as reminders
Once a week, check your follow-up file for entire week

17. Making Appointments

(continued)
Canceling appointments

When someone calls to cancel
 Offer to schedule another appointment
 Update all calendars

When you cancel an appointment for your manager
 Notify person appointment is with at once

Give general reason without stating any confidential information

Express regret and offer to re-schedule

18. Making Appointments (continued)

Preparing a list of appointments

Provide manager with appointment list
 For each day



Place on form he or she prefers
Print a copy of computer calendar
Information provided should state
 Time, name of caller, affiliation, purpose of visit

Include dinner meetings or commitments

Location—if not in manager’s office

19. Receiving Visitors

Greet a visitor the minute he or she arrives



Stop what you are doing immediately
If on the phone, nod and smile–let visitor know you are aware of his or her
presence
Keep materials on your desk out of sight

20. Receiving Visitors

(continued)
Greeting visitors

Greet visitor by name
 If name is unknown, wait for them to introduce themselves

Do not call manager by first name when visitors are present
 Use manager’s last name

When speaking of your manager

When addressing your manager in presence of others

21. Receiving Visitors

(continued)
Advance preparation

Provide files needed for preview prior to meeting or used during meeting

Data or information from other departments
 Collect early and compile in advance

Supplies needed that are relevant to purpose of meeting
 Note taking, brochures, slides, projector, etc.

22. Receiving Visitors

(continued)
Attending to the visitor who has an appointment

Make visitor feel comfortable
 Indicate where to leave his or her coat
 Escort visitor to manager’s office

Early arrivals may have to wait
 Provide current magazines, morning paper, etc.
 Do not feel obligated to carry on conversation
 When manager is free, tell manager that visitor has arrived

23. Receiving Visitors (continued)

Visitors with appointments should not be kept waiting
 Apologize for unavoidable delays

Give indication of wait time

Reschedule if necessary

Be cautious about how you state the reasons for a delay

Do not forget about a visitor
 Regardless of reason, approach visitor in a relaxed manner

Your only duty at the moment is to meet his or her needs

24. Receiving Visitors (continued)

First time visitor
 When manager is available, escort to manager’s office and make introductions

If manager knows visitor
 When manager is available, invite caller to go in or you open door

Provide refreshments, if appropriate

See if manager needs anything

25. Receiving Visitors

(continued)
Staff visitors

Many managers use “open-door” policy

Hold meetings with employees in manager’s office or conference room

Assume manager’s meeting with his supervisor will be in supervisor’s office,
unless otherwise noted

26. Receiving Visitors

(continued)
Terminating meetings

Know your manager’s preference for tactful interruptions

Use predetermined guidelines for
 Crowded schedules
 Getting rid of visitors who overstay their allotted time
 Acknowledgement of next appointment

27. Receiving Visitors

(continued)
Interrupting a meeting

Most managers discourage interruptions

Know what conditions are important enough to justify interruptions

When in doubt–do not interrupt

Know manager’s preference or method to follow for interruptions

28. Receiving Visitors

(continued)
Attending to unscheduled visitors

Be friendly and pleasant

Listen carefully and decide what to do, if there is someone in manager’s
office
 Family or friend
 An executive
 Use caution in turning away someone your manager might want to see

29. Receiving Visitors

(continued)
Salesperson
 Can you help the person yourself?
 Can your manager call them?
 Find out purpose

Can someone else help them?

Offer to make appointment

Inform salesperson that manager is not seeking the product or service
 Turn away courteously

30. Receiving Visitors

(continued)
Tips on screening visitors

Establish clear guidelines with manager

Ask direct questions

Offer to help visitor

Politely be persistent

Have visitor write a note to the manager

31. Receiving Visitors

(continued)
Refusing appointments

Manager is in, but needs to work without interruptions

Don’t make untrue statements

State manager cannot crowd anything more into today’s schedule

Ask if manager can call or if appropriate, make an appointment

32. Managing Diverse Situations

Visitors with language barriers

Listen actively

Do not interpret and finish their sentences

If you recognize the language, locate an interpreter

Don’t assume visitor does not understand your language

Always display a positive attitude to visitor

33. Managing Diverse Situations (continued)
 Promote having one phone for hearing impaired
visitors
 Encourage basic audio aids for the office
 Show courtesy by facing a visitor who is hearing
impaired
 Post signs in reception area about any special
aids

34. Managing Diverse Situations (continued)

Familiarize yourself with location of wheelchair-available restaurants, fullservice gas stations, and other businesses

Arrange to have a supply of juice and liquids for visitors with medical
condition such as diabetes

35. Managing Diverse Situations (continued)

Complaining customers

Don’t get emotionally involved in problem

Don’t get defensive or aggressive

Provide solutions, not excuses

Customers are not always right, but don’t tell them

All customers have a right to be heard

Do not allow a customer to abuse you

36. Managing Diverse Situations (continued)

If you promise action, carry through

Sorry without corrective action is an empty word

Preventing problems is easier than solving them

37. Managing Diverse Situations (continued)

Abusive visitors
Tips for handling abusive visitors

Use common courtesies

Listen to the visitor

Apologize if it is appropriate to do so

Show empathy and understanding

Promise follow-up

Follow through

38. Office Security

Safeguard your own personal security

Don’t take security for granted

Tips

Contact corporate security force or call police at 911

Challenge visitors or individuals walking through your office

39. Office Security
(continued)
 Do not let anyone into your building with your
access keys or card after regular hours
 If you have your own office, lock the door when
you leave for lunch or meetings
 When it gets dark use the “buddy” system
 Always keep valuables out of site
 Do not allow any unknown unexpected
maintenance personnel free access to your office

40. Ethics and Visitors

Avoid sharing confidential information

Treat each visitor equally

Don’t ask questions of a personal nature

Never assume based on color of skin a person is from a certain country

41. Hosting International Visitors
 If your manager travels, chances are those
clients will also visit your office
 Handling international clients requires a new
set of knowledge and skills
 Tips for Success
 Build positive relationships
 Be flexible, adaptable, & tolerant (FAT)
 Experiences and customs are different than yours

42. Hosting International Visitors

Do your homework

Research their culture and company


(continued)
Show an interest
Learn a few words and phrases in visitor’s language

Greeting

Tip: Maybe write welcome in visitor’s language at top of meeting agenda

43. Hosting International Visitors

Locate client’s nearest consulate’s office


(continued)
Have location, phone number, and ambassador’s name should you need
them
Keep an open mind

Do not judge behavior

Attitudes, values, manners, greetings and gestures are product of a different
culture

44. Hosting International Visitors

Listen carefully



International client may speak in broken English
Don’t correct
Research the attitude about time

In North America time is a priority

Time does not have the same priority in all cultures
(continued)

45. Hosting International Visitors

(continued)
Learn preferred eating habits of country

Many international travelers are open to experimenting with new foods;
others are not
 Some cultures do not eat pork
 Some cultures do not eat beef

Include food and beverages international client will enjoy

46. Hosting International Visitors

(continued)
Determine if gender plays a stronger role in client’s culture than our
own

In some cultures, women do not hold high-level positions where decisions
are made
 Conversations are between male members at meetings
 If gender is an issue, decide ahead of time whom to send to negotiate in
boardroom or whom to send abroad as best company representative

47. Hosting International Visitors

(continued)
Identify the proper greetings

In the United States–firm handshake

Many cultures–bowing and kissing

Some cultures–men and women do not touch
 Members of same gender may deliver a very warm and physical greeting

48. Hosting International Visitors

(continued)
Body language is often misinterpreted

What’s friendly in one country may be obscene in the next and actually
illegal in another

Pay attention to how others use gestures to say what they mean
 Movement of hands, arms, legs, or head

49. Hosting International Visitors

(continued)
Slow down so you can warm up

Many cultures establish a relationship before they conduct business
 Cup of tea
 Social conversation

50. Hosting International Visitors

(continued)
Learn to pronounce names correctly

In some cultures the surname is placed before the given name

Learn the titles of respect that go with others’ names and when appropriate
to use

51. Hosting International Visitors

(continued)
Determine if space when talking is different from our culture

Know the right distance
 Too far way may be interpreted as rude
 Too close may be interpreted as too casual or too informal