Table of Contents - Réseau International des Cités des ... accueil_User Reception.pdf · Réseau des métiers des Pays gardois Cité des métiers de Côtes d’Armor Cité des métiers

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EditorialReceiving the user in a Cité des métiers: managing requests on an individual basis to better serve their diversity.The point of view of the Label Authority

The stakes of user receptionA diversity of situationsThe modes of organisation of the user reception function

Spatial arrangements for reception

Taking care of ambience and atmosphere

Adapting reception to the constraints of the place

Where does the function stop?Keeping the border between reception and counselling

A lot of kknovvledge as vvell as kknovv-hovv and social skkillsKnowledge

Know-how

Social skills

Training oneself for user reception in the Cités des métiers

Three points in common to all Cités des métiers

T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s

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Cette publication a été réalisée avec le soutien financier du Fonds SocialEuropéen - Actions Innovantes Transnationales - Compétitivité régionaleet emploi - 2007-2013 Axe 4 -Mesure 3.-Projet Ampli (Amélioration mutuelle de la performance des lieuxintégrés) convention n°2010-H43-UO.

This guide has been designed to be used by the consellors and other staff members working in the various Cités des métiers of the International Network of the Cités des métiers, and it cannot be used in any other framework without authorisation and mention of the support it benefitted from.This document reflects only the points of view of the International Network of the Cités des métiers; the European Commission is not responsible for the informations contained therein.

This guide was realised in the framework of the project AMPLI; it is the result of a collective transnational work, involving the following parteners: Città dei Mestieri e delle professionni di Milano, MilanCittà dei Mestieri e delle professionni di Genova, GênesCittà dei Mestieri e delle professionni di Roma e Lazio,Rome et LazioCidade des Profissoes do Porto, Porto Porta 22, Espai de Noves Ocupacions, BarceloneCiudad de los oficios, Bidasoa Activa, IrunAssociation Réseau Cité des métiersRéseau des métiers des Pays gardoisCité des métiers de Côtes d’Armor

Cité des métiers de GenèveCité des métiers de Haute-NormandieCité des métiers de Marseille/ PACACité des métiers du Saint-QuentinoisCité des métiers de Seine-et-MarneCité des métiers de Nord Franche-Comté, BelfortCité des métiers de Limoges et du LimousinCité des métiers de l’OrneCité des métiers de NanterreCité des métiers du bassin de La RochelleCité des métiers de Saint Quentin en YvelinesCité des métiers de la région mulhousienne

Working group supervised by Pascaline AlbaretCoordination: Cité des métiers de Paris La Villette, Universcience

Editorial coordination: Bernadette Thomas – Copyright C. 2010, ParisEnglish version realised by Gérard Gautier, Albireo Conseil

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Receivingthe user

in a Cité des métiers

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• User reception is an essential function, because it reflectsthe image and the values of a Cité des métiers. No inter-active terminal, no billboard will ever be able to replace in our premises the human relation and the diagnosis resulting from this face-to-face exchange.The quality of the reception is an obligatory ambition for each of us, first because, in the majority of our Cités des métiers, it is a mission common to all our professionnals ; but also and primarily, because this first contact is decisive for what will follow.

Indeed, succeeding at this stage is to create the necessary conditions for a good orientation towards our services and resources, and it is also a means to bring the user the frame of mind necessary to progress.In a context of crisis that sets the feeling of worry on the increase, it is indeed essential that everything be done to create the conditions for a user reception of high quality.It is not so easy, and you must constantly question yourself: training yourself, sharing experiences and good practices...Thinking carefully about the spatial arrangements, fine-tuning the general feeling through the proprer choice of furniture, colours or even back-ground music, taking in account the situation of the adults, men and women without any way to have their children looked after, redu-cing waiting time, all these topics are among those around which ourteams rally. These are the challenges we must meet day after day.The aim of this guide, to be used by the staff members in charge of user reception, is to provide them with common clues, by suggesting possibilities of improvement and optimisation of the reception, whatever the specific conditions in each of the Cités des métiers.

EditorialReceivingthe user

in a Cité des métiers

Pascale Lampert

Denis Hebert

“You will never have a second chance to make a good [first] impression”. (David Swanson)

Receiving the user in a Cité des métiers - page 2

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Manager of the Cité des métiers et de la formation of Geneva

Manager of the Cité des métiers of Haute-Normandie Region


• From the Charter of the Cités des métiers :«The Cité des métiers is open to any request, que l'entrée soit une question clairement formulée ou un problème exprimé par ceux qui ne savent plus quellequestion poser, tant ils sont en décalage par rapport aux règles du jeu et, par consé-quent, aux dispositifs existants.”«La Cité des métiers intervient sur tous les champs de la vie professionnelle. Elle adonc pour vocation d’accueillir tous les publics quels que soient le statut, l'âge, leniveau d'étude ou de qualification, ou l'appartenance à une catégorie professionnelleou géographique. “«Une Cité des métiers est centrée sur la demande, la question, le problème de l'usa-ger, et non sur les institutions et leurs services. Ce qui compte, ce n'est pas de rem-plir "la" prestation de "son" institution, mais que l'usager puisse ouvrir sa problémati-que, lui redonner sens et se réapproprier une stratégie d'action grâce à l'informationet au conseil les plus larges ».«Dès l'entrée, l'usager doit percevoir que cet espace est fait pour lui. C'est ainsiqu'une attention toute particulière est apportée à l'atmosphère du lieu, son architec-ture, son mobilier, sa signalétique qui doivent signifier le respect de l'usager.”

(Receiving the user in a Cité des métiers:managing requests on an individual basis to better serve their diversity

Hovv and vvhy can and must this question of user reception be treated specifically?The most important thing to understand is that, in the concept « Cité des métiers », user reception is not only a «function » among others: the core of the action is precisely to welcome and receive to the best the users with their preoccupations, to give them the opportunity to express them in the best possible way, specifically if those are difficult to formulate. Indeed, clarifying the needs, the desires, the worries underlying a professional transition, is one of the determining elements in the quality of advice and answers that we can provide.Receiving properly, a cross-functional objectiveIn a Cité des métiers, receiving is everywhere: the quality of welcoming and receiving stems from the disponibility, the attitude of kind listening and of empathy, from the spatial organisation, from the offers of workshops, events and clubs, but also from the chosen furniture, opening hours and signage. This preoccupation is found in the Charter of the Cités des métiers, but also under several guises, in the real experiences of the Cités desmétiers themselves. Here are three exemples :• In terms of attitude of the staff, setting up a « kind listening attitude » is not only a matter of words. As well as for the first welcome and reception, on the councelling focal points or during the workshops, the aim is to make users understand that we are here to listen to them, to help them formulate better or in another way the preoccupation that led them there. This means training sessions (particularly through situations of dual listening), quality criterions and above all, a clarification of the protocoles of interview, as it is also necessary to define limits to the interaction (the most empathy people perceive, the most there are risks for disappointment).

T h e p o i n t o f v i e vv o f t h e L a b e l A u t h o r i t y


( • User first-time welcome and reception in a Cité des métiers is an important stage of the user’s path, as it is the first contact with the Cité des métiers. This is the reason we must ensure the high quality of this reception, because it conveys the image, the philosophy, the values and the frame of mind of the Cité des métiers. Quite different from a classical reception, it is centered on user’s needs and questions, and not on the services provided by a given institution.The fact that the time devoted to these first exchanges is usually rather short invites us to reflect collectively on the best way to organise them.The aim of this first reception is to clarify user’s requests and propose in answeran individualised path within the Cité des métiers.The reception staff, strategic point of the Cité des métiers, has multiplemissions: centralising information, gathering the requests of all the users, and supervising and energising the reception space.Whatever his/her other functions, the primary objective of the reception staff is to ensure the user can make the best use of all the resources available in the space. Being directly in touch with the user, the reception staff is the first able to under-stand his/ her needs. According to Chiara Tentori, reception staff in the Cité des métiers of Milan, you must be able to adapt your vocabulary, your language level, in order to match the user’s requests with the terminology (the codes) of the Cité des métiers. The question is to adapt oneself at the same time to the diversity of the users and to the multiplicity of the requests they may express.

• In terms of spatial organisation, the choice of working in « open space » stems from the idea that all users of a Cité des métiers must as soon as they enter the premises get a synthetic view of the whole set of possibilities available to them, including the counselling interviews without appointment. Accordingly, the choice of the furniture and of its arrangement must foster the possibilities for work in small groups without at the same time disturbing individual work. Nowadays, more than being just multimedia libraries with counselling banks, the new Cités des métiers also aim at offering their users settings recalling « project-coffeeshops », or even community houses.• In terms of signage, the stakes are immediately obvious. One of the basic principles of a Cité des métiers is the organisation in counselling focal points: their names and signs must reflect in an immediate manner the preoccupations of the visitors. Thus the first level of signage in a Cité des métiers must refer to why people are there. It is important that this reformulation be immediately understandable by everyone who enters. It is the same for the reception by phone and for the website that must be at the same time clear, practical and friendly.It would certainly be simplistic to reduce the specificity of the Cités des métiers to the spirit and the quality of their user reception: it is of course their combination of skills, tools and resources that constitutes their particularity, but what makes this combination decisive in terms of efficiency is the fact it is organised and conceived in reference to the requests and needs of the users, in reference to the way they express their own preoccupations. And analysing the relevance of its user reception in a broad sense can actually be used as the main line of analysis to produce a quality diagnosis for a Cité des métiers.

kThe stakkes of user reception


Can we speak of a specificity of the user reception function in a Cité des métiers?Certainly. User reception function is diverse, complex, evolutive and submitted to an environment in permanent change.To answer efficiently to the diversity of the users and to the multiplicity of the requests, you must adapt permanently.The staff in charge of user reception must be able to match the requests with the means and services set up by the structure. S/He must be able to make the connection between the requests and the missions, resources and tools proposed within the reception space.Some requests may confront us to our limits, when the available means are not totally adapted, as for instance working out a Curriculum Vitae in emergency. But what cannot be done in our walls can find an answer elsewhere, and this is why it is necessary to know the closest structures that will be able to bring an answer.Similarly, for the users with little mastery of the basic skills or little habit of computer tools, we must be able to spot the difficulties they might meet in the spaceand to evaluate their degree of autonomy in order to know «how and up to which level they need to be supported»...This necessitates a good knowledge of the resources available in the Cité des Métiers and also a good appropriation in order to provide the most adapted an-swers.Besides, taking the necessary time to explain to each visitor what s/he will find inside the Cité must not keep you from managing properly the whole incoming influx. You have to find the balance...What do you think are the conditions needed to succeed in this reception?Spatial organisation can both impede or help. In Limoges, it constitutes a facilit-ating link. The reception «focal point» is integrated to the platform, the space is open and allows for a global view, for the counsellors as for the users.Communication is therefore made easier. Users feel free to go and come back between the counsellors, the reception, the resources, and sometimes they get suggestions for new directions in the space or they start a completely new search.This spatial organisation allows for a very lively place, a place where «interrelations»happen.I would like to tell that reception is at the same time a function of mediation and afunction of communication.

INTERVIEW

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Maryse BOURNEL - Secretary and librarian in CRIJ, in charge of user reception at the Cité des métiers of Limoges and Limousin Region.


• Two main parameters determine the conditions of user reception work: thepartnership and the physical place. These parameters may be different according to the territory, but they are the ones that induce the choices in work organisation and influence spatial organisation and work conditions.

• In reality, we observe three modes of organisation of the user reception func -tion, that are the result of a management decision and the expression of a volun-tary choice, but sometimes the choice is actually imposed by the weakness of the partnership. The mode of organisation and the profile of the persons in chargewill be different depending if it is or not considered important that this function iscarried out by all staff members, counsellors as well as back office staff.

Some managers decided to have this reception function taken in charge on a full time basis, with a precise job description. The main responsability of the staff in charge is then to welcome and receive the user and to providehim/her with the first information and guidance upon his/her arrival. Most often, complementary tasks are added to this primary function (answering requests made by phone, statistical follow-up, assistance for the consultation of resources or the use of the Internet, security, watchingover a children’s space )...Other managers made the choice of a shared reception function, with counsellors and back office staff rotating. In this organisation, in which re

ception staff changes on a permanent basis, everyone must know well both resources and users and make the link at the time of the rotation.In some Cités des métiers, user reception is considered to be a « Counselling focal point » as any other and is organised in the same way, that is with a coordinator who must make the link with the counsellors and the other staffmembers of the Cité des métiers who are in turn performing the function.In these two last cases, the choice of organisation underscores the existence of dif-ferent profiles among the reception staff.

• • • • The modes of organisation of the user reception function

( A diversity of situations


The most frequent spatial arrangement is the single platform, single-level with possibly a mezzanine. Its size and facilities may vary according to the site of implantation of the considered Cité des métiers.

This is the case for, among others, the Cités of Barcelone, Trevise, Haute-NormandieRegion, Paris, Rome and Santiago de Chile.

• • • • Spatial arrangements for reception

Alain Jouneau Manager of the Cité des métiers of Limoges and Limousin Region

As we count around fifty counsellors working on the platform, we have a tendency to emphasise the role of user reception that could become in our institution a focal point as any other. Indeed in our Cité des métiers this «reception bank» takes on a strategic aspect.The staff there centralises information, gathers the requests of any user arriving at the Cité, dynamises and manages the space: inshort s/he acts as a true control tower.

In order to play his/her role of regulation efficiently, s/he must permanently have a global vision of its space. If s/he notices that one of the focal points is overcrowded, s/he may take opportunity to inform the user about next planned events and news likely to interest him/her - or even direct the user to the multimedia resources room.This panoramic view over what is happening is precisely what makes him/her at the same time useful to the counsellors. We did not enough take this aspect into account at the time we launched the project. In fact, we had to quickly modify the orientation of our reception desk in order to make the job of the reception staff easier.In our Cité, around fifty counsellors take turns over the four focal points.Some of them are not present in the premises more than a half-day in a month. This means that the reception staff must often make the link between old and new counsellors and introduce to the partners the new partner colleagues who joins the space. This centralising role is particularly strategic in a Cité des métiers as ours. The function is indeed to inform, but goes beyond that, as it is sometimes necessary to put some people in their place, to recall to the rules. At the reception desk, you somehow become the responsible of the Cité’s framework and rules.

INTERVIEW

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Sometimes, the original layout of the premises does not allow for installing a single-level platform. The Cité des métiers is then organised in several spaces distributed over different levels, with intercommunication in between, as for Porto or Marseilles. There may also be a main space with a mezzanine, as for Nanterre.Despite these differences, a Cité des métiers remains an open space. The normal place for the reception bank is at the entrance of the platform, in order to inform and guide the user as soon as s/he arrives, but it is dependent on the layout of the premises. When the platform is not single-level, the reception takes place in the space itself (Geneva). There may also be a first reception and welcoming bank at the entrance of the building with a staff in charge of logistical duties, security, indicating the meeting rooms, ... (Marseille, Maurice). In this case, a difference is done between this reception at the entrance of the building, which is just an information point to provide directions, as a complement or replacement for a signage, and the reception bank upstairs at the platform level, as it is characterised in this guide, i.e. an assistance for using the resources, which must be inside the platform itself. In Marseilles, to compensate for the disadvantage of an installation over three different levels, the reception function is present on each of them and placed in a way it is easy to spot.The simple fact that a Cité des métiers is deployed over one or several levels has an impact onto the reception function. It is the same when the Cité des métiersbelongs to a larger complex, hosting partners of the Cité des métiers in a common building, and when the reception is then shared between several organisations (Limoges, Saint-Quentin, La Rochelle, Belfort).

Indeed, in a platform complying with the standards, theperson in charge of user’s reception is a true «hub»; s/he has an immediate overview of counselling activity,documentary resources and sometimes even workshops. This staff member acts as the true entry key for each user.



At the Cité des métiers of Paris as in any other, we take in account the fact that the user needs peace and quiet, calm, and an atmosphere at the same time studious and relaxed; this fosters a climate of trust and allows the user to focus and move forward. Properly installing our premises is at the heart of our concerns. The arrangement must reflect the spirit that inspires us. So, for our furniture, we prefered curves over straight lines and angles. Similarly, we chose warm and soothing materi-als and colours. Particular care has been taken of acoustics,

as our counsellors work in an open space, with neither isolation booth nor closed office. Taking care of ambience, atmosphere, contributes to provide the user with a warmer reception.

• •• • Taking care of ambience and atmosphere

Elena Boni,

When entering the Cité des métiers of Rome, what is immediately striking is the background music, a very colourful decoration and a special space for children. Can you tell us the reasons behind these choices?

The Cité des métiers of Rome was installed in a place that was known for a very difficult past. To change its image in the eyes of the public, it was necessary to turn the place into something friendly, warm and welcoming.As I am quite open to everything in relation to creativity, I was requested to prepare a project that should aim at creating a « positive energy ».Before the opening of the Cité, I made proposals for the spatial arrangement. Today in the Cité I am in charge of decoration and arrangement in general.Four main projects were initiated.In order to create a soothing atmosphere, we decided to broadcast soft background music that would be audible in the whole space. We chose sounds from jazz, classical and experimental musics. The user appreciates to be received in a place where the atmosphere is markedly different from what you find in other « jobs centres ».Users received by the Cité are socially vulnerable and need to be welcomed in a warm atmosphere and setting. I proposed a project for a decoration consisting in wall frescoes, it was accepted and it is what gives this place its unique atmosphere.One particularity among others of the Cité des métiers of Rome is that it is installed in the middle of an area of social cooperatives whose activity consists in collectingsalvaged objects and pieces of furniture. This is why, to keep in accordance with this context, a big part of the Cité’s furniture comes from those cooperatives after renovation and transformation.

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in charge of user reception at the Cité des métiers of Rome.


Lastly, a space dedicated to children was created. It is situated near the entrance and the reception, and offers books, games, toys and adapted furniture. Parents can then focus on what they have to do and do not need to worry about their children.

• ••• Adapting reception to the constraints of the place

Aurélie Callac

For reasons related to the rather small size of our reception space, we chose toorganise group and individual reception at different times. We receive groups on mornings (15 to 20 people). They can be groups of school or high school students, or adults elaborating their career plans. Each group comes accom-panied by a external counsellor, trainer or teacher. These visits are prepared in advance and adapted to the specific users and requests of each organisation (schools, organisations for training and social insertion, job seekers…).In order to allow for a better management of visitors inflow, we defined specific times for group reception. Users coming in groups can thus fully benefit from all the resources of the platform. It also allows our consellors to focus onto the requests of each group. As for individual reception, it takes place on afternoon from Tuesday to Friday, and on Saturday morning.To reach more distant users, since mid-October 2010 we have been setting up dis-tance counselling. For this as well, we reflected on how to organise the reception.To launch the « e-counselling », the user first fills a form on our website. This trig-gers an e-mail alert notifying me that someone requests « e-counselling ». I write a mail to this person asking if s/he has the necessary devices (webcam, microphon) and then I propose a time for an e-meeting. Then I send a link through which the user will be able to connect for the « e-counselling ». I must pay attention to whatthe user’s request is precisely concerned with in order to connect it with the relevant counsellor. It means that I must really be cautious concerning the way I formulate my own explanations: by writing, in opposition to face-to-face or phone reception, there is no instant exchange that would allow me to correct any ambiguity or misunderstanding.Finally, carrying out a proper reception also means being able to adapt to user’sfamily constraints. Children coming with their parents are proposed books, colour-ing books, documentation. When adults wish to use our multimedia resources or to meet with a counsellor, I almost always propose books to entertain the child

(in charge of user reception at the Cité des métiers of Haute-Normandie Region


and allow the adults to focus on their procedures. They particularly appreciate this service, that makes them feel more free and less stressed in their search.In the near future, the Cité des Métiers of Haute-Normandie will occupy new and larger premises, and the experience of this service leads us to consider creating a space of its own, dedicated spe-cifically to children.

(Where does the function stop?

The responsability of the staff in charge of the reception is to convey, as soon as the user arrives at the Cité des métiers, all the values of the place and the ways to make good use of the resources it provides. Properly interpreting user’s request is truly the « first step » that will sometimes allow the user to get an immediate answer to his/her question. After listening to and rephrasing the user’s request, the staff mem-ber evaluates his/her need in order to guide him/her toward the relevant resources. This way of working contributes to making known the services, activities, projects, and resources of the Cité.This function implies large duties, going from welcome and reception by itself to administrative, logistic, watching and security tasks. As the balance between the main task and those other duties is not precisely defined, the actual situation may vary greatly [See text box on next page].In this duty, the reception staff is entrusted with numerous tasks that must be carriedout simultaneously. This can impede the quality of his/her listening, particularly if the ongoing tasks require a high level of concentration or a very close follow-up.It is imperative to maintain the order of priorities and to give primacy to the reception of the user present at a given time - particularly over administrative tasks.A sudden increase in the visitors inflow or the arrival on location of a insufficiently supervised group are part of those unexpected events you have to learn how to deal with. It may sometimes appear difficult, but it is important to keep the quality of reception at its best level even in the midst of unforeseen situations.Every staff in charge of user reception is conscious about the existence of a border between user reception and counselling functions. It is not always easy to restrict yourself to a role of information and spatial orientation without encroaching on the role of the counsellor who is going to take the case over. This border is still more difficult to respect when the reception staff is him/herself a counsellor. Moreover, in some cases it may be advisable to break the rule to avoid user’s discouragement,particularly when a counselling bank is overcrowded and the reception staff has the necessary time and knowledge. Keeping yourself to your own function is finally a quite subtle exercise that permanently requires balanced decisions in order to hand the case over to the counsellors at the right moment and in the best conditions.


Welcome and receive: - carry out face-to-face, phone and electronic receptionGet the requests- understand requests to direct the user at bestInform- give informations on all the activities and resources of the Cité des métiers- promote the events of the Cité des métiersSupervise and dynamise the space- open and close the Cité des métiers, switch on allappliances (interactive terminal, computers,…)- manage the inflow on the counselling space and the multimedia resources- assist the user to find his/her way in the premises- assist the user with computers and software- care for the logistics of small supplies (paper, toner, lights...) and minor maintenanceContribute to administrative management:- count visitors numbers- evaluate the quality of the services provided- manage the loan of documents- carry out administrative tasks pertaining to simple secrétariat (appointments, management of the team common agenda…)Ensure security:- ensure compliance with the rules and proper use of the resources of the Cité des métiers, particularly for Inter-net resources- manage and anticipate potential conflicts- ensure the security of goods and persons (watching over a child space,...)Participate to the logistics of the activities:- register user for events- tranmit technical problems to management- care for the supply of communication media to be given to the visitors

An observed typology of the tasks

• Keeping the border betvveen reception and counselling

Cécile Sacré

I think that the primary role of the reception staff is to make people feel comfortable: they are the first persons users talk to when they enter the Cité des métiers.The staff member in charge of reception receives the « first emotions », and must therefore show perception and diplomacy. In our Cité, all reception staff members are as well counsellors working on the counselling banks. Being at the same time counsellor on the banks, and at the reception enables you to understand better the differences between the two jobs and their respective requirements. So you learn a little more everyday.But the most difficult for a counsellor working at the reception is to know how to limit his/her work when it comes to counselling.When I am in charge of user reception, I make a point of giving user a satisfactory answer, so that s/he does not leave with any frustra-tion - even if we do not always have the information requested.Indeed, as we have a mission of « first line information », we must absolutely look for the most relevant contact, able to answer the request and if necessary provide useful addresses. The Cité desmétiers of Saint-Quentin area is integrated in the Maison de l’emploi(House of employment ), wich gives us the advantage of having several organisations present on the site. Working together with pro-fessionnals from different organisations is certainly an added resource, but it means you must be particularly careful in the work of interpretation of user requests and have a synthetic view over allthe services offered.One of my first activities when starting the day is to get an over-view of all the activities and workshops proposed for the day in the premises. A three-month programme and a computerised agenda accessible to the whole team help us in doing this.

((

In charge of user reception and counsellor, supervisor of the VAE club* in the Cité des métiersof Saint-Quentin area.

* VAE club: discussion group on VAE, “Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience”, academic crediting system based on professional experience.


• • • Knovvledge

( A lot of knovvledge as vvell asknovv-hovv and social skillssavoir-être The reception staff in a Cité des métiers must possess the basic, general skills common to all reception functions, in whatever organisation they are practiced. Besides that, s/he must have a strong background, even if not being a specialist in the topic. Constantly requested to provide most varied answers, the reception staff is continuously stimulated to acquire new knowledge on the economic and institutional environment and on new provisions. Exchanges of information and training may then prove useful in this matter.

Knovvledge of the Netvvork of the Cités des métiers and the CharterHave a general knowledge of the political, economic and social institutions present on the site or the territory, as well as of their missions and publics.Knovvledge of one’s ovvn Cité des métiers: - internal organisation: organisation chart, internal procedures- service offer: resources (paper, multimedia, human), services proper (counselling, documentation, events, workshops), audience.Perfect knovvledge of reception methodsPerfect knovvledge of all the tools (office software, switchboard, dashboards, in-tranet, internet, specific internal tools developed by the Cité des métiers)Good knovvledge of a foreign language (if necessary, depending on the territory ).

• • • Knovv-hovv

Welcoming and receiving: look at the person, smile to make him/her feel more comfortable, open oneself and listen to the other, then enter into dialog.Understanding user’s requests: hear the requests, analyse and rephrase them, adapt one’s language level to the person.Informing and directing: give the answers according to the priorities, introduce the most relevant ressource(s) according to the request, divide the person’s path in different stages to foster his/her autonomy and optimise the visit.Guiding: show the situation of the resources on a plan or on location; if necessary get up and lead the user to the relevant resources.Other knovv-hovv: work in team, make the relation between user and counsellors, convey to the management users’ expectations and requests, ensure rules of etiquette are respected.


Marylène Chauvat

In a Cité des métiers, the reception function is more important than is often imagined.That makes it different fromreception in a business, where it just consists in giv-ing directions to visitors.In our Cités, reception is focused on the diagnosis of user’s request. The reception staff must adapt his/her questions to allow for a fast and global evaluation of the needs. The aim is to direct the user towards the most relevant counselling bank.Similarly, this role must not be confused with the counsellor’s. Its aim is indeed to carry out a diagnosis of the requests and not a diagnosis of the situation.The reception staff must constantly keep informed of what is going on in his/her Citédes métiers and remain involved in the operation of the service, that s/he must know perfectly, as well as the resources provided and the users potentially concerned.S/he keeps informed of proposed events and workshops, and must know their intended audiences. As those events change every month, you have to take the initiative, get involved in the search for information and must not hesitate to take the lead.

THE CORE FUNCTION SEEN BYY

• •• Social skillsRelational qualities: kindness, empathy, availability, caring, patience, self-control and control of one’s emotions, adaptability, diplomacy, flexibilityOther qualities: analytical outlook, organizational skills, team spirit, polyvalence, responsiveness, curiosity, sense of service to the user, discretion.

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counsellor at the Cité des métiers of Emerainville


Carolina Ferreiracounsellor at the Cité des métiers of Porto

The reception bank in a Cité des Métiers is the anchoring point for everyone coming to us for the first time. The reception staff is the one who is instrumental in explaining what are our services, our activities, our projects, and up to which level we can meet the requests we receive.The qualities that are necessary in this function are sensitivity, active listening skills and empathic understanding but also capacity for initiative, pro-activity, autonomy and dynamism, finally a lot of different social skills... Besides the fact that we sometimes receive vulnerable people, these caracteristics allow the reception staff to adapt to whatever situation s/he may meet. Similarly, the relationship between the reception staff and the counsellors team must be very good, in a perfect complementarity, because each other’s job is in re-ciprocal interaction. Of course, it is not easy, and this is the reason why I think that continuous efforts for improvement in internal communication as well as in ways of transmitting information are very important.At the Cité des Métiers of Porto, the reception staff carries out various duties:administrative, handling and security. But it is certainly because he is very assert-ive, understanding and well-trained, that our reception staff contributes to make the user feel welcome in our premises.These are essential qualities for the proper development of a Cité des Métiers, that contribute to its success and efficiency.

THE QUALITIES OF THE RECEPTION STAFF SEEN BYY


• Three points in common to all Cités des métiers

The first point is the diversity of the profiles of all the people taking part in user reception. The same diversity is also found in the training and career tracks of thestaff carrying out the reception function. We have been observing that their previous

previous professional experience concerns in majority jobs where there is an interaction with the public.However, even if their previous professional experience can be a plus, it is advisable when they arrive to deliver to these professionals coming from a wide range of activity fields (education, business, social, education ...) a formally organised training session to ensure they can appropriate the concept of the Cité des métiers and get to know the resources available in the premises.

Another commun point is that the staff members in charge of user reception acquired their most useful know-how through practice, knowledge and experience sharing within the team and even with colleagues from other Cités des métiers, and through self-training. Obviously, no training session can ever fully replace expérience.It ensues that reception quality is best ensured by the sharing of these experiences and the pooling of the practices.Regardless of the differences in profiles of all the staff members manning this job, whether or not they work full-time, it is important that each of them receive a regular relevant and pragmatic training to get a proper view of all the resources and services proposed to the users and to be able to contribute to the success of this stage of user reception.

( Training oneself for user reception in the Cités des métiers

Permanently updating the reception staff’s knowledge and information is a point on which constant vigilance must be exerted, as well as for his/her minute knowledge of the service offer if s/he is to be efficient in his/her mission.


• Make the reception point a counselling bank in its ovvn right, in addition to the other counselling banks,

• Foster practice pooling and sharing vvithin teams and vvithin the Netvvork of the Cités des métiers (guided tours, use of and contribu-tion to the Network intranet, reciprocal knowledge exchange sessions),

• Train reception staff members by planning a specific training session, particularly for the new reception staff members, and include in it a

time of «practical training» in the Network, as is already done for counsellors. More general training may be useful to the reception staff members

(e.g. : communication methods, conflict management, computer tools).

• Lay out the premises in a way that will make them more functionnal and friendly (for instance: set up a children space, think of cubicles for

counselling sessions and work in mini groups, …

• Optimise tools to facilitate reception: make sure that the signage is well in evidence and that the ergonomy of the reception bank is adapted to

receiving all type of users, including disabled, provide it with communication media, display the rules of «living together».

S o m e h i n t s t o i m p r o v e a n d g i v e i t s p r o p e r p l a c e t o t h e r e c e p t i o n f u n c t i o n :

Documents

Table of Contents - Réseau International des Cités des ... accueil_User Reception.pdf · Réseau des métiers des Pays gardois Cité des métiers de Côtes d’Armor Cité des métiers