Judging the CROTY's
By Amanda Kay
The Corporate Receptionist of the Year Awards launched in 2019. Created by Rapport Guest Services with the ambition to recognise Receptionists in our corporate sector. For many years there have been awards to recognise front of house professionals working in the hotel sector. However, with more and more of these outstanding individuals moving over to the corporate world, there was a missed opportunity to recognise and celebrate these talented people in our world.
Sounds easy, but in the spirit of transparency, as a competitor to Rapport, I was sceptical from the outset, and I was not alone in questioning the impartiality of the awards. This year I had the opportunity to step behind the curtain as a judge. In doing so I totally understand and appreciate the true value and impartiality of the the awards.
The journey begins with a nomination and written response to a handful of questions, a very short video and CV which showcase the nominee’s persona and personal journey. Once received, a large collection of judges from within the service sector score these. The scores are tallied and the top ten are chosen as finalists to proceed to the next stage.
The assessment day is where the finalists come to life – it’s the “proof in the pudding”. The judging panel reduces to ensure that no employer of a finalist is in attendance. This meticulously planned day has four elements.
The first is a face-to-face interview where we dig into the approach and experience of the finalists, with a few curve ball questions mixed in, all of which are designed to settle and bring out the best in each finalist.
Next up is the scenario-based section inclusive of actors. Each finalist is given three scenarios which they might face everyday and asked to ‘act out’ their approach and problem-solving skills. Finalists are scored on their solutioning, proactivity, communication and empathy.
This is followed by a telephone scenario to test their call handling prowess.
Finally, the morning and afternoon finalists come together for a group task which looks at their communication and teamwork skills.
It was an amazing day!! I was blown away by the talents of every finalist who brought their unique personality and ingenuity.
At the end of the assessment day, all the judges come together and the scores from each section are collated!
This year the standard was so high that the scoring was tight but there was a clear winner. Shannon Sullivan was at the top of the scoreboard and crowned the Corporate Receptionist of the Year 2023 at the awards night last Wednesday.
Shannon was the last finalist of the day - the graveyard shift! We had been blown away all day long and there were a few front runners who had already achieved exceptionally high scores across the board. I didn’t think that anyone could beat those who had been before. But then Shannon walked in and introduced another level of excellence.
We also celebrated two Highly Commended Finalists on the night: Laura-Marie Bruck and Fara Painter. Both were exceptional with vibrant personalities who brought a very special level of energy and joy to our day.
Being a judge for the awards was an honour. Seeing how much the finalists invest in the day and how much it means to them was exceptionally heart-warming. This award is about recognising the talent within the sector and the people who serve our clients customers and colleagues every single day. The people who are front facing, who must be excellent and engaging, who have nowhere to hide when things don’t go to plan and who are creative in finding solutions.
One of my biggest takeaways from the awards was learning about the opportunities it offers the finalists and winners. I had the pleasure of spending a lot of time with Judita Poceviciute, the 2022 winner. Judita is a true ambassador for our sector, an incredible professional and an all-round outstanding individual. It took me minutes in her company to understand why she won last year. Judita shared her story of the last 12 months and how the awards gave her the confidence to trust in herself and her skills and step into leadership.
