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What Does an Assistant Front Office Manager Do?
The job description for an assistant front office manager varies depending on the size and type of the office in which he or she works. This position might exist in medical offices, hotels, or any type of corporate environment in which there is a front office. Typically, the front office in any business exists to interact directly with customers or clients who come in, so it will generally be the job of an assistant front office manager to resolve any problems and provide great customer service, as well as to supervise all the other employees and act as an intermediary between the employees and the office manager.
In most cases, the job of an assistant front office manager is most often a supervisory one, as compared to the manager who may be more focused on operations. An assistant front office manager may initially be part of the decision as to whether or hire or fire certain employees, and may conduct interviews with prospective applicants. Once individuals are hired, he or she may also have to train them. The assistant office manager could be responsible for making the schedule, planning for the times when employees may request time off, and making sure the front office is always covered. Daily supervision of things like behavior at work, adherence to dress code and breaks, and other regular issues are also typically a part of the job.
In addition to supervisory duties, customer service is typically another one of the most important aspects of the assistant front office manager's job. Though the other employees in an office will typically be trained to resolve any issues, particularly difficult or challenging problems may be brought to the attention of the assistant manager, and he or she will need to be able to resolve them quickly and effectively.
The assistant front office manager needs to understand all aspects of how the office is run, from operational decisions to how certain types of technology work. He or she may need to prepare and run reports that will be brought to meetings, and may be expected to make suggestions on how the office could become more efficient, more profitable, or otherwise be improved. It is important for anyone interested in this kind of career to be responsible, self-motivated, and possess excellent people skills. Because of all this responsibility and necessary knowledge associated with this job, many individuals in this role will have some sort of college degree in business.
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![Second round interviews for an assistant front office position may include questions from several senior staff members.]()
By: milanmarkovic78Second round interviews for an assistant front office position may include questions from several senior staff members. -
![An assistant front office manager must have multitasking skills.]()
By: bloomuaAn assistant front office manager must have multitasking skills. -
![An assistant front office manager needs to understand all aspects of how the office is run, from operational decisions to how certain types of technology work.]()
By: contrastwerkstattAn assistant front office manager needs to understand all aspects of how the office is run, from operational decisions to how certain types of technology work.
Discussion Comments
There is something to be said for those that can handle the job of an assistant front office manager. I recently quit my job doing this because it was just too stressful and it seemed like I was covering for anyone, and my entire job was to buffer the real office manager from too much stress. The amount of paperwork I was given was insane.
I think if you want to be an assistant front office manager you really need to ask what your duties will be, as it seems to be one of those positions that is really open to interpretation. I loved the business I was at, just not the position I was given.
My friend worked as an assistant front office manager at the biggest medical clinic in my hometown. She really enjoyed her job, though she admitted it was a bit stressful at times, as a lot of patients were always trying to shuffle appointments with very little notice and when a secretary couldn't help, she always had to calm people down.
The office she worked at was small enough that she did a lot of various tasks. She covered for the secretary if needed, she would deal with various insurance issues. Pretty much anything to help the office manager keep things moving smoothly.
@NathanG - You’re not kidding. I remember one particular stay I had at a hotel. The hotel had overbooked their rooms and I had no place to stay! There was no room for me at the inn.
I was not a happy camper. The assistant front office manager was johnny-on-the-spot, as they say. He immediately apologized and was right on the phone, making calls to a nearby hotel that wasn’t even part of the same hotel chain.
He was able to get me booked there quickly and even personally drove me to the hotel. It helped a lot. Because he moved quickly and put my needs ahead of that of his own business, it redeemed an otherwise terrible situation.
I think we’ve all had experiences where our stay at a hotel was more or less pleasant, depending on the circumstances.
I believe that the assistant front office manager can make or break our enjoyment of the stay, depending on how well she performs her duties.
Taking care of guests and putting out fires seems to be a large part of the job, and in many of these situations you have to think on your feet to make the correct decisions.
Sometimes you have to make compromises in order to make the guests happy or at the very least, inconvenience yourself by going the extra mile.
You need to do this all the while ensuring that employees are always on their toes. It’s not an easy job, but I have tremendous respect for anyone who can do it – with a smile.
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