Unsung Heroes - the receptionist: Corina Jipong, IPG Mediabrands
The Drum's 'Unsung Heroes' series is a celebration of the people in the industry who slog hard behind the limelight for their companies, brands and clients.
Aside from receiving guests, Jipong handles certain administrative tasks as well.
As they are seldom in the spotlight for their contribution to the success of campaigns, and this is their time to shine.
If you think of someone who deserves this recognition, please get in touch with Shawn Lim and nominate them. You can read the most recent feature, which looks at the role of the social media executive, here.
Corina Jipong is a receptionist at IPG Mediabrands in Malaysia. Aside from receiving guests, she handles certain administrative tasks as well. She is also a member of the Circle of Happiness team spanning all Mediabrands agencies, responsible for increasing workplace well-being through festival events and fun activities.
Why is your job important?
My role is important because I ensure that the office is not chaotic!
My main duties include entertaining guests, informing our staff their guests or packages have arrived, and coordinate meeting rooms – the usual functions of a receptionist. However, I am also the main logistics contact person to ensure everything runs well and that we have enough inventory of our necessities.
The first thought that comes to mind for our staff is to “look for Corina”. I also manage the receptionists from other floors, including the cleaning and despatch staff, as well as external maintenance personnel.
I guess to summarise the importance of my job, I am a trouble shooter and the go-to person that gets things done!
What is the hardest and stressful part of your job?
Being the front of house can be difficult, as some visitors can be fussy, impatient or rude. But that’s part and parcel of the job, and I have to handle it with a smile. I am also the go-to “person identifier” in the office, so I have to keep track of everyone’s name and department. This is getting increasingly challenging as our staff size has grown significantly over the years.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Well, I love helping others! Being useful and being able to add value to other people in such an immediate and direct way gives my job meaning. So I am happy to get that opportunity every day.
Is there anything you want to change in your job?
I would like to take on more administrative duties which might usually be done by an executive assistant. For instance booking business travel flights and applying for visas, as this is slightly more challenging and breaks the occasional monotony that comes with being a receptionist.
I enjoy juggling multiple things and coordinating between people so I do welcome more of these types of roles to expand my skill set.
If you weren’t a receptionist, what would you be?
A receptionist! (laughs).
From the very beginning I’ve always wanted to be a receptionist. Assisting others brings me joy, and I do really love my job.