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StarTribune- Print Page Page 1 of 2 <br /> StarTribune <br /> Out of the office: City Hall receptionists <br /> Article by:LAURIE BLAKE , ?�3 <br /> Star Tribune <br /> July 22,2012-1135 PM <br /> When RosemounYs longtime City Hall receptionist retired recentiy <br /> after 20 years of answering phones and greeting residents,offic <br /> � <br /> moved swiftly to save money by filling her shoes wRh a telephor� �ti:' <br /> �r <br /> answering system. � i <br /> Weeks into the switch,few are complaining."I certainly don't see <br /> any sign that the commundy is objecting to the change so far,"said _ <br /> Minnetonrca Gtv nah receo[ionis!s�nsna Sauer.IeY..and <br /> Rosemount Clty Managef DWight Johnson. Bonrne Rislund�,answerea quesuons antl gave directrons tc <br /> visitors. <br /> Driven by budget considerations,the retirement of longtime Bruce Bisping,Star Tribune <br /> receptionists,new phone technology and cRy websdes loaded wtth <br /> infortnation,front desk duties are changing at Minnesota city hatls. <br /> Smaller cities are increasingly finding the receptionist a luxury they can no longer afford.South St.Paul has not had a <br /> receptionist since volunteers stopped pertorming the duty years ago.Robbinsdale and Richfield eliminatetl their receptionist <br /> positions and now assign other workers to fill the role.Inver Grove Heights went to a telephone answering system when its <br /> receptionist retired this year. <br /> "We want to make sure that we take care of our customers,but traffic through the front desk is very low,"said Rosemounf <br /> Mayor Bill Droste. <br /> Some people enjoyed walking down to City Hall,speaking to a pleasant receptionist and paying the utility bill,but now d's <br /> difficutt to just'rfy that cost,Droste said. <br /> WRh more people getting information from the Intemet,calls to the switchboard have dwindled as well,Droste said."We have <br /> a new phone system and can route and track calls easily now,and we are in the process of redoing our home page.If you <br /> have a good websRe,people should be able to find almost anything they need." <br /> 8igger suburbs such as Eden Prairie,Edina,Bloomington,Minnetonka and Plymouth still have enough phone calls and walk- <br /> in traffic to keep people busy answering phones and greeting visitors.But the receptionists also pertortn a�y number of other <br /> duties. <br /> Robbinsdale's last receptionist who ran the switchboard retired in 2003,said City Manager Marcia Glick."By then we all had <br /> direct-dial numbers,and not every call was going through the switchboard;'she said. � <br /> Splitting duties <br /> After the retirement,the city dropped the receptionist position and moved two clerks--one from recreation and one from <br /> finance—to the City Hall information counter. <br /> Even with the split duties,"if you call City Hall,someone is gomg to pick ft up 95 or 96 percent of the time,"Glick said. <br /> Similarly,Richfield dropped Rs receptionist position and has a deputy registrar clerk acting as CRy Hall greeter.The new <br /> municipal building was designed wdh that irt mind,said City Manager Steve Devich."When people come into City Hall,I still <br /> feel iYs important that someone be there,a face that they can walk up to and ask where something is." <br /> Back in the day,hundreds and hundreds of calls went through the city switchboard every day,Devich said."This day and <br /> age,there are less and less phone calls because of e-mail,and everybody has a direct number and voice mail." <br /> South St.Paul has operated wfthout a receptionist for as long as anyone can remember with no problem,said City Manager <br /> Steve King.One of three people in the finance division picks up the phone. <br /> "fhe technology has changed and the standard has become self help,"King said."People who are below a certain age,they <br /> don't need the personal interaction.They just search for the information they need online." <br /> West St.Paut,atso a small cdy,is an exception.Mayor John Zanmiller said as long as he is mayor there will be a <br /> receptionist:"Residents deserve to speak to a human being." <br /> Other cities agree that having a receptionist is still well worth the cost. <br /> "We have one and we plan on continuing to have one,"said Eden Prairie City Manager Rick Getschow.'The savings in <br /> efficiencies that one person can provide as a receptionist or at the front desk of cfty hall actually more than covers the <br /> position." <br /> 'A welcoming face' <br /> The city requires the receptionist to issue dog licenses,serve as a notary and receive all deliveries.In many cases,the front <br /> desk person answers questions without referring residents to other staff,Getschow said. <br /> http://www.startribune.com/printarticle/?id=163 362096 7/?3/2012 <br />