Reception Skills

Instructor Led Reception Training

Reception Skills That Make a Great First Impression

A practical one day course for receptionists and front of house teams: welcoming visitors, handling calls and running a busy reception with confidence. Delivered at your premises or live online.

20+ yearsTraining experience
1 dayReceptionists & front of house
UK wideOn site or live online

Some of our clients

NHS logo
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust logo
H&M logo
Lovell Homes logo
Crown Prosecution Service logo
Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service logo
Manchester City Council logo
Care Quality Commission logo
MSC Cruises logo
Siemens logo

Be the welcoming face of your organisation

Reception is often the first contact anyone has with your organisation, so it is vital that a positive, professional impression is made every time. This one day course builds the communication skills, telephone techniques and organisation that great reception work depends on.

With trainers based across the UK, we bring this course to your premises nationwide, run it live online via Microsoft Teams, or welcome you to one of our public course venues. Wherever your team is based, we can deliver it.

It pairs well with our Customer Service Skills course, or run this course as a live remote class via Microsoft Teams.

  • Free training needs analysis before your course
  • Tailored with your real workplace scenarios
  • Free telephone & email support after your course

First Impressions

Greet every visitor and caller in a warm, professional way.

Telephone Skills

Answer, transfer and take messages accurately every time.

Visitors & Security

Sign in and look after visitors safely and efficiently.

Difficult Situations

Stay calm and professional with demanding callers and visitors.

Three ways to book your course

Send one or two people to a scheduled public course, or bring the whole team together in house or live online.

Option 1
Public Course

Classroom Place

£295 + VAT
One day classroom · per person
Preston, Liverpool, Manchester & London
  • Ideal for one or two people
  • Learn alongside delegates from other organisations
  • Reference materials & certificate

Enquire About Dates

Option 2
In House

Full Day Group Course

£745 + VAT
Total group price
One day · up to 8 attendees
At your premises
  • Reasonable course tailoring included
  • Trainer travel included
  • Reference materials & certificates

Make an Enquiry

Option 3
Live Online

Full Day Group Course

£695 + VAT
Total group price
One day · up to 8 attendees
Delivered via Microsoft Teams
  • Same content, same trainer, from anywhere
  • Reasonable course tailoring included
  • Reference materials & certificates

Make an Enquiry

Who should attend

Receptionists, front of house, switchboard and administrative staff who greet visitors or answer calls, whether new to the role or experienced and looking to refresh their skills.

Ask a Question

*In house and live online prices are per course for up to 8 attendees and include reasonable tailoring and supporting reference material; the in house price also includes trainer travel. Public course price is per delegate. Book 2 or more delegates on the same course and receive significant discounts, click here for information. Training a larger group or several teams? Speak to our team and we’ll help you work out the best way to run it.

Course Outline

1. The Role of Reception

  • The receptionist as the face of the organisation
  • Making a positive first impression
  • A professional appearance and reception area
  • Knowing your organisation and who does what

2. Welcoming Visitors

  • Greeting visitors warmly and professionally
  • Signing in, badges and visitor security
  • Looking after visitors while they wait
  • Managing a busy reception desk

3. Professional Telephone Skills

  • Answering calls the right way
  • Tone, word choice and voice
  • Transferring and screening calls
  • Taking and passing on accurate messages

4. Handling Difficult Situations

  • Dealing with demanding or upset visitors and callers
  • Staying calm under pressure
  • Handling complaints positively
  • Knowing when and how to escalate

5. Organisation and Teamwork

  • Prioritising tasks and managing interruptions
  • Handling post, deliveries and bookings
  • Communicating with colleagues
  • Maintaining confidentiality

More than just a training day

Tailored Content

Built around your team’s real workplace scenarios

Expert Trainers

Instructor led, at the pace of your attendees

Reference Materials

Handouts and supporting materials for every attendee

Certificates

Course completion certificate for each attendee

Free Aftercare

Telephone & email support after your course

Training created for every kind of brain

People don’t all learn the same way, and a great course shouldn’t assume they do. Every Keys Training course has been adapted for different types of learners, including neurodivergent attendees and people with disabilities, so everyone in the room gets the same value from the day.

Whether someone has dyslexia, ADHD, autism, a hearing or visual impairment, or simply prefers to learn by doing rather than listening, our trainers adjust the pace, materials and activities to suit the people in front of them.

Disability Confident Employer

Every course has been assessed by accessibility experts to make sure it’s accessible and beneficial for all.

Find out how we make training inclusive

Neurodiversity aware

Clear structure, plain language and varied activities that work for dyslexic, ADHD and autistic learners.

Accessible materials

Handouts and slides designed for readability, with formats adapted on request for individual needs.

Adjusted to the room

Small groups mean the trainer can flex pace, breaks and delivery style around each attendee.

Expert reviewed

Every course has been assessed by specialists to make sure it’s accessible and valuable for everyone.

Frequently asked questions

Who is this course for?
Receptionists, front of house, switchboard and administrative staff who greet visitors or answer calls and want to do it with more confidence and professionalism. No previous training is needed.
Can the course be delivered remotely?
Yes. As well as running the course at your premises, we deliver it as a live online class via Microsoft Teams, the same trainer led day, at a lower group price.
Can the course be tailored to our organisation?
Yes. The closed, in house course is customised to your requests, using your own reception scenarios, visitor procedures and call handling where helpful, with reasonable tailoring included in the fee.
How much does the course cost?
A tailored in house course is £745 + VAT, or £695 + VAT delivered live online, both for up to 8 attendees. A place on a scheduled public course is £295 + VAT per delegate, with discounts for booking 2 or more delegates on the same course.
What will I be able to do after the course?
  • Make a confident, professional first impression every time
  • Welcome and look after visitors safely and efficiently
  • Answer, transfer and screen calls professionally
  • Take accurate messages and pass them on promptly
  • Stay calm and handle difficult visitors and callers
  • Organise a busy reception and manage interruptions
Where do you deliver public courses?
We run scheduled one day public courses at our venues in Preston, Liverpool, Manchester and London. Prefer an in house or live online course instead? Those run UK wide, wherever your team is based.
Do your trainers travel to deliver in house training?
Yes. We have trainers based across the UK, and trainer travel is included in the price of every in house course, there’s no extra charge for us to come to your premises, wherever you’re located.

Ready to give every visitor and caller a great first impression?

Speak with a training advisor to arrange a tailored Reception Skills course for your team, at your premises, live online or on a public course.

Or call us on 0345 450 0051 to speak with a training advisor today.