reception ?

Unregistered · May 22, 2010

is this correct? I am wondering why the writer is not using "receptionist" in his telephone message.

Should you require immediate assistance, please contact our reception at 915-284-3633.

emsr2d2 · May 23, 2010

Gillnetter said:
You are correct, it should have been receptionist.

I disagree. Whilst it is obvious that the person who answers the call will be the receptionist, in hotels etc we generally simply refer to the desk.

Please call reception if you have any problems.

Please speak to reception if you require anything.

In your original quote, "our reception" is a shortened form of "our reception desk":

please contact our reception desk at 915-284-3633

2006 · May 23, 2010

It certainly sounds better with 'reception desk' or with 'receptionist'.

bertietheblue · May 23, 2010

I agree 100% with emsr2d2. Indeed I'd go further and say that in a hotel/business you'd be more likely to say:

Please contact reception (more likely without the 'our')

than

Please contact the receptionist

especially in the case of a firm of any size where 'receptionist' suggests one person at the end of the line; 'reception' suggests a whole reception desk is waiting to attend your, the customer's, needs - and which firm wants to sound smaller/less important than it is?

emsr2d2 · May 23, 2010

bertietheblue said:
I agree 100% with emsr2d2. Indeed I'd go further and say that in a hotel/business you'd be more likely to say:

Please contact reception (more likely without the 'our')

than

Please contact the receptionist

especially in the case of a firm of any size where 'receptionist' suggests one person at the end of the line; 'reception' suggests a whole reception desk is waiting to attend your, the customer's, needs - and which firm wants to sound smaller/less important than it is?

Absolutely, "reception" sounds better than "our reception".

It's similar to when we say "Contact the office for more information". Obviously, you can't literally contact an office - an office can't speak - but we don't specify "Please contact our staff/employees at the office".

reception ?

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