If you have a receptionist in charge of answering phones and greeting people who walk through the door, you need to know they’re making an excellent first impression. This applies to every company, from dental offices to law firms. A great receptionist can make your life easy, while a bad receptionist can lead your company to ruin. Here are three important red flags to watch out for.

1. They push clients away.
As your gatekeeper, part of your receptionist’s job is to filter the lines of communication and make sure no one’s time is wasted. However, a receptionist should never treat clients like intruders interrupting their workflow. You want people to feel welcome at your company. Otherwise they won’t want to keep doing business with you. This attitude should also extend to the rest of your employees. If your receptionist treats their coworkers like pests, there’s a chance they will treat clients the same way.

2. They’re disorganized.
Your receptionist is responsible for relaying information to the rest of your company. What happens if a client calls while you’re in a meeting, and you never call them back because you weren’t informed? What if a client’s file goes missing in a messy filing cabinet? A receptionist with poor organizational skills can increase stress around the office and anger clients.

3. They’re not tech-savvy.
As your company’s jack-of-all-trades, your receptionist should be able to learn whatever software the company uses, from word processors and Excel to industry-specific software. Your receptionist should also be able to easily learn new skills to facilitate system improvements and new technology. The last thing you want is company-wide changes to halt because your receptionist insists on doing things their way.

When you are hiring a receptionist, take the time to find a candidate who will make life easier for everyone at your company. You won’t regret it.