Office Reception SOP Template

1.Purpose

To give every visitor and caller a professional, secure first impression, and to make sure hosts are notified promptly and the front desk stays covered throughout the day.

2.Scope

Applies to the staffed front desk and main reception area during business hours. After-hours and unstaffed entry procedures are covered by the building's separate security procedures.

Definitions

Visitor badge

A temporary badge issued to a visitor that identifies them and, where used, controls building access.

Host

The employee a visitor is there to see, responsible for meeting or escorting them.

3.Responsibilities

Receptionist

Staffs the front desk, greets visitors, issues badges, manages calls and handles deliveries.

Office Manager

Sets front desk procedures, arranges coverage and handles escalations.

Security Officer

Responds to access issues, emergencies and any visitor who cannot be verified.

Administrative Assistant

Provides backup coverage of the front desk and manages conference room bookings.

RACI matrix

R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed

4.Materials and PPE

Materials, tools and systems

• →Visitor sign-in system or logbook
• →Visitor badges
• →Phone system or switchboard
• →Host and employee directory
• →Conference room booking system
• →Delivery log

5.Procedure

1. 5.1

   Open and prepare the front desk

   Receptionist

   At the start of the business day, the receptionist unlocks and powers on the front desk area, checks the visitor sign-in system is working, and reviews any scheduled visitors or events for the day.

2. 5.2

   Greet arriving visitors

   Receptionist

   The receptionist greets each visitor promptly, asks who they are there to see, and confirms the visit is expected by checking the calendar or with the host.

3. 5.3

   Verify identity and sign in

   Receptionist

   The receptionist asks the visitor to sign in with their name, company and host, and checks photo identification where the office policy requires it for building access.

   Checkpoint: Every visitor is signed in with a host name before a badge is issued.

4. 5.4

   Issue a visitor badge

   Receptionist

   The receptionist issues a visitor badge showing the visitor's name and host, and explains where they may and may not go unescorted in the building.

5. 5.5

   Notify the host

   Receptionist

   The receptionist notifies the host that their visitor has arrived, by phone, message or paging system, and lets the visitor know approximately how long the wait will be.

6. 5.6

   Handle an unverified or unwelcome visitor

   Receptionist

   If a visitor cannot be verified, has no expected host, or becomes disruptive, the receptionist stays calm, does not grant building access, and contacts the security officer or office manager for support.

   Warning: Never escort or grant access to someone who cannot be verified, even if they claim urgency.

7. 5.7

   Manage incoming calls

   Receptionist

   The receptionist answers incoming calls with the standard greeting, directs the caller to the right person or department, and takes a message when the recipient is unavailable.

8. 5.8

   Receive and route deliveries

   Receptionist

   The receptionist accepts deliveries addressed to the office, logs the sender and recipient in the delivery log, and notifies the recipient or routes the item to the mailroom.

9. 5.9

   Manage conference room bookings

   Receptionist

   The receptionist or administrative assistant checks the conference room booking system when a visitor's meeting room is unclear and helps resolve any double-booking before the meeting starts.

10. 5.10

    Arrange front desk coverage for breaks

    Receptionist

    Before stepping away, the receptionist arranges coverage with the administrative assistant or office manager so the front desk is never left unattended during business hours.

    Checkpoint: The front desk has a named person covering it at all times during business hours.

11. 5.11

    Collect badges from departing visitors

    Receptionist

    As visitors leave, the receptionist collects the visitor badge, confirms they are signed out in the visitor system, and thanks them for coming.

12. 5.12

    Close the front desk

    Receptionist

    At the end of the day, the receptionist confirms all visitor badges have been returned, reviews the sign-in log for anyone still marked as on-site, and secures the desk area.

6.Quality checks

• →Every visitor is signed in with a named host before receiving a badge.
• →The front desk is never left unattended during business hours without arranged coverage.
• →All visitor badges are accounted for at the end of each day.
• →Deliveries are logged with sender and recipient before being routed.

7.Records

• →Visitor sign-in log
• →Delivery log
• →Front desk coverage schedule
• →Incident notes for unverified or disruptive visitors

8.KPIs

• →Average visitor wait time from sign-in to host notification
• →Percentage of visitors signed in with a complete host name
• →Number of front desk coverage gaps per month

9.Common mistakes

• →Letting a visitor into the building before their host confirms the visit.
• →Leaving the front desk unattended without arranging coverage.
• →Forgetting to collect a visitor badge at departure.
• →Not logging a delivery before setting it aside for the recipient.

10.Revision history