<P> A few famous people were receptionists in the beginning, such as Betty Williams, a co-recipient of the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize . A number of celebrities had worked as receptionists before they became famous, such as singer / songwriter Naomi Judd and the late Linda McCartney, photographer, entrepreneur and wife of Beatle Paul McCartney . Other famous people who began their careers as receptionists or worked in the field include civil rights activist Rosa Parks and former Hewlett - Packard CEO Carly Fiorina . </P> <P> Some small - to - medium - sized business owners hire a live remote receptionist in lieu of a full - time, in - house receptionist, thanks to advances in communications technology . As the phrase itself suggests, a live remote receptionist deals with phone calls for a company in another location using telephony private branch exchange (PBX) servers . Most modern receptionist services can take messages, screen and forward calls, answer basic FAQs, and fill out web forms . Many services can also schedule appointments and take credit card orders . Some of the older receptionist services have been around for decades, but these often operate very differently from modern services . </P> <P> Advances in touch screen and 2 - way video technology is changing the way some receptionist work . New types of virtual video receptionist systems now allows for live, in - house or remote receptionists to manage office lobby areas from remote locations . These virtual receptionists not only answer phones but also greet walk - in visitors by utilizing a motion detection camera to "see" visitors as they enter the building . The remote receptionist is then displayed in a video window on a wall mounted LCD, kiosk or desktop all - in - one computer . The video receptionist and visitors can then communicate via 2 - way video, allowing the receptionist to manage one or many office lobby areas from a central location . </P> <P> The advancement of office automation has eliminated some receptionists' jobs . For example, a telephone call could be answered by an automated attendant . However, a receptionist who possesses strong office / technical skills and who is also adept in courtesy, tact and diplomacy is still considered an asset to a company's business image, and is still very much in demand in the business world . </P>

Who is responsible for receiving and assisting visitors