Why Is It Important To Measure Front Desk Performance For Your Business?

Do you want to learn how to improve your front desk performance? Then, you need to crunch the numbers.

Measuring front desk performance is vital to the operational success of your business. With key performance indicators (KPIs) and other quantitative data, it can be easier to know how to enhance your front desk operations.

To help you get a clear understanding, here are five reasons why you should measure the front desk performance of your business:

Why It’s Important To Measure Front Desk Performance

1. It gives you insights into your customer experience.

According to a 2018 report by Salesforce, four out of five consumers say that a business’s customer experience is just as necessary as its products and services.

Your front desk’s performance can reveal the state of your customer experience.

An underperforming front desk struggles to provide a positive atmosphere that builds customer trust and loyalty. On the other hand, an effective front desk makes customers feel welcomed and valued when they engage with your business.

Tools such as net promoter score (NPS) and customer satisfaction index (CSI) can give you insights into the overall impact of your front desk on the customer experience. Employee-centric metrics like staff utilization and job satisfaction are also helpful in showing how your staff may be performing on an individual level.

See this blog to learn more about key performance indicators (KPIs) for your front desk performance review.

2. It shows you how your front desk can improve.

According to a 2018 joint study by Adobe and Econsultancy, 65% of businesses said that improving data analysis is vital to enhancing the customer experience.

Measuring front desk performance shows you a clear perspective of areas of improvement your front office operations may have. Metrics can give you an actionable view of certain areas of your front desk processes that may need your attention.

Numbers alone, however, can only do so much. Consider collecting qualitative data from employees through team meetings and from customers through surveys with open-ended questions.

Combining quantitative and qualitative data allows you to make the most informed decisions on improving your front desk performance.

3. It provides your front desk team with a baseline for performance.

A 2023 study by Betterworks on performance management found that 64% of employees think their performance reviews are a “partial or complete waste of time that doesn’t help them perform better.”

While it’s essential to search for areas of improvement continuously, keeping track of how your front desk should perform at the minimum is vital. This helps you ensure that, even when no improvements are made, there are no inefficiencies.

When you set benchmarks, your front desk team may be able to see a path of improvement. The same study by Betterworks found that less than half of employees thought they were at a dead end with their current position.

Giving your staff a baseline for how they should be performing gives them a sense of stability and assurance that they can grow further in their current role. This helps improve job satisfaction and staff retention.

4. It reveals glaring issues in your front desk workflow.

In Segment’s 2021 State of Personalization report, 85% of businesses said they facilitate a personalized customer experience. However, only 60% of consumers felt that businesses personalize their experience.

You may think that your current front desk model is doing well in facilitating a unique customer experience, but your customers may think otherwise.

Metrics, especially customer-centric ones, can serve as a clear point of reference on whether or not your front desk is performing well. Low numbers indicate that there are issues in your workflow that you need to address to improve performance. High numbers, in contrast, let you know that your current workflow is effective.

Of course, numbers alone can’t show the whole picture. Always ask your staff for feedback to see if you can improve anything about their workflow. While your workflow may be working now, it can cause unnecessary stress on your front desk staff members, leading to burnout and turnover.

5. It allows you to reduce bias when assessing front desk performance.

In a 2018 report on customer experience by PwC, about 32% of respondents said they would stop engaging with a beloved brand after only one negative interaction.

With how easily you can lose customers from negative interactions, you may be tempted to pin the blame on specific factors for why your customer experience is falling short.

Front desk performance metrics help minimize bias when you assess what is affecting your customer experience. More than simple observations are required to determine front desk performance issues. Backing up your observations with concise data enables you to evaluate more objectively.

How To Improve Front Desk Performance With KPIs

If you’ve decided to implement front desk KPIs and performance management methods into your staffing model, congratulations! You’re well on your way to improving your front desk performance in the long term.

The question now is how you can use those numbers to your advantage. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Modify your front desk training. Leverage your KPIs to identify areas of improvement in your front desk workflow and implement the necessary protocols to fill in where your front desk is missing (e.g., skills in answering calls and problem-solving during customer de-escalation).
• Adjust your staffing strategy. Determine whether you need more or less staff or whether the current job scope of your team needs to be adjusted based on the workload of your front desk operations.
• Monitor your front desk operations continuously. Supplement your quantitative data with observations and other qualitative methods for comprehensive insights into your front desk performance.

Your Front Desk Performance Is The Key To Improving The Customer Experience

Measuring front desk performance requires dedication and expertise. When executed properly, it can significantly improve both front desk operations and customer experience, leading to increased loyalty and retention.

Consistent front desk performance is challenging to attain in the face of constant receptionist turnover and absenteeism. With live virtual receptionists, you can always ensure that someone at your front desk can check in your customers with a smile. Learn how WelcomeWare’s front desk software can help you streamline your front office operations with remote work options and a reporting dashboard to track your receptionist performance.