Customer service situation??

If you are working in a dentist office as receptionist and there are 4 people coming in, the phone is ringing and someone wanting to buy a product how do you deal with the situation?? In which order??

Phones always, always come last...service those physically in the office in the order in which they came in. If serving one of the patients in the office will take a considerable amount of time politely ask for permission from the client to have them wait while you handle the quicker transaction and only do it if the client agrees to it...most people will notice how busy you are and as long as your are polite about it they will agree to wait. The key is to give the client the control to make the decision...it makes them feel valued which is the most important thing in customer service.

Wow, hectic. If I was a customer I would appreciate it if the receptionist would say "I'll be right with you" and answer the phone...then "could you hold please"...then deal with the person right in front of you. The four people coming in should know what order they came in and line up appropriately. You are not a school teacher and shouldn't have to decide who came in first unless you actually saw who did. Someone in person buying a product should wait in line just like everyone else. If they are on the phone wanting to buy something...they can still hold. It helps to have a sign-in sheet, i.e. name and time of appt. That way you can settle the phones first and the people can have a seat and you call off who signed in, in order.