A front office is a designation that describes an area of a business where clients and company personnel interact. Front offices are typically called so because they are at the front or entrance of a business, giving customers easy access to office workers. This vital section of the business can serve many purposes, depending on the company, and are often the best place to obtain any customer-related information.
Front offices may have an entry desk staffed with a secretary or administrative worker. This main desk can offer assistance to incoming clients or customers, and can direct queries to correct personnel. Alternatively, all personnel in the department may be trained in customer assistance; since workers in this area of the business may have many duties, training all of them in customer service means that someone will almost always be available to help a client.
In addition to being a contact point for clients, this area may also serve as the main hub of communication for the entire company. Office workers often serve secretarial functions, and may be in charge of taking messages, handling orders, and relaying information to different departments. Many front offices work in concert with sales and marketing departments in order to create and distribute information to clients.
Depending on the size and function of the business, the front office can serve as a jack of all trades. Workers in this area may handle daily mail sorting and distribution, provide copy and fax services to other departments, work directly with clients, and perform data entry duties. A typical worker in this position will have a blend of customer service skills and office skills. Organizational skills, computer literacy and typing are often vital to surviving the hectic atmosphere of this area.
The front office may also serve as the home for office machinery. Common devices found in this area include copiers, fax machines, multi-line phones, postage and scale machines for mail, and office computers. Many experts suggest that it is wise to ask workers for assistance before attempting to use any of these machines; a broken or jammed machine can cause hours of headaches and slow production for an entire company.
The person in charge of this energetic area may have a variety of different titles, such as head secretary, office manager, office supervisor, or administrator. This person is generally responsible for training and managing assistants and serving as a department head. Front office managers typically have excellent managerial skills as well as a clear understanding of the company and its function.