Reception and Customer Service (Placemaker)
Places Leisure
The Breakroom Take
- Great team mates
- People enjoy this job
- Good employer
- Pays all ages fairly
- Recommended by students
- Respectful managers
- Proper training
About Places Leisure
Places Leisure is a Scottish fitness company.
Job description from Places Leisure
We are Places for People Group, we're a social enterprise that believes it's people that make a community. That's why we build homes and deliver services for everyone in the community to thrive. At Places Leisure we are changing lives by creating active places and healthy people for communities to thrive, and we want to be the UK's leading health and wellbeing enabler.
We aren't your typical company. We apply the same philosophy to our People as we do to our communities, ensuring our team is appreciated and supported. At Places for People, you're more than just a number - you're part of our cause.
More About the Role:
We have an exciting new opportunity for a Reception and Sales colleague, (internally known as a Placemaker) at Places Leisure, where you will be working in a fun, lively environment with likeminded people. You will help to inspire others to work together and deliver their very best. You will be highly organised and thrive on delivering excellent customer service whilst promoting a helpful and welcoming environment that offers a positive first impression to all prospective and existing members.
Previous experience in a sales and customer service environment would be beneficial, however, if you are a naturally proactive and self-motivated individual, then with our continuous learning and development opportunities, we would be happy to support you with the training and tools to succeed in this role and beyond.
There are many opportunities available for you within Places Leisure. Your career with us as a Placemaker is a great first step to many different routes including a Placemaker Assistant Manager and Placemaker Manager.
In the Placemaker role, we will offer ongoing training and development opportunities, including Customer Service and Sales learning through our training partners, regular webinars and seminars to develop sales performance as well as opportunities to develop cross skills in lifeguarding, swimming teaching & more.
More About You:
- You will have the inherent ability to create personable and meaningful relationships with customers in a unique and relevant way.
- You will be able to multi-task and manage daily operational tasks with strong execution and confidence.
- Be an advocate for the benefits of physical activity and contribute to our mission of creating active places and healthy people.
- You will have the ability to use sales tools and techniques documented by Places Leisure membership management.
- Sales focused and target driven individual.
- You will have a passion for delivering first class customer service and deal with customers in a friendly and professional manner whilst going above and beyond to deliver the highest level of standards.
Benefits
We are a large, diverse and ambitious business, which will give you all the challenge you could wish for.
We know that there's always more we can do to make you smile, that's why we offer a comprehensive benefits package with each role, yours will include:
- We align with the Real Living Wage foundation
- A bonus scheme for all colleagues at 2%
- Full Health & Fitness membership for you, a nominated adult and up to 4 juniors
- Flexible working (including part time working, shift work and more)
- An opportunity to purchase additional annual leave
- Lots of opportunity to access ongoing personal learning and development
- Access to our Company Pension scheme
- Cashback plan for healthcare costs – up to £500 saving per year
- Discounts of up to 50% on activities, centre shop and cafes
- Extra perks including huge discounts and offers from shops, cinemas and much more.
If you meet the criteria and are ready to make the next step in your career then click apply. You will be redirected to our careers site where you can discover more about the role, read a full job description and apply directly to us.
Job insights from Breakroom
Receptionists
Receptionists are the first point of contact for visitors to hotels or businesses
What you’ll do as a receptionist:
- Checking or signing people in
- Deal with customers or guests
- Helping customers with general questions
- Manage and take bookings for rooms etc
- Answer questions both in person and over the phone
- Take payments and provide invoices
Is it right for you?
This job may involve:
- Standing
- Sitting
- Dealing with customers
- Using a computer
- Anti-social hours
- Wearing a uniform
Map
Reading, Berkshire
What employees say
Pay
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Needs improving
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Most people aren’t paid a living wage
Do Places Leisure pay receptionists enough to live on?
Most people are not paid a living wage.
How we know this
80% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2022 and December 2023.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The current rates are £12.00 per hour, and £13.15 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Okay
-
Only some people are paid market rates
Do Places Leisure pay receptionists market rates?
Only some people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
40% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2022 and December 2023.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Hours and flexibility
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Okay
-
Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do receptionists at Places Leisure get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
60% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2022 and December 2023.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
Okay
-
Shifts can get changed at short notice
Do Places Leisure managers change receptionists shifts at short notice?
Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
40% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2022 and December 2023.
Why this matters
If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.
Workplace
-
Okay
-
Some people are stressed
Is it stressful for receptionists to work at Places Leisure?
Some people feel stressed here.
How we know this
60% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2022 and December 2023.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
Okay
-
Only some people recommend their team
Do receptionists at Places Leisure recommend working with their team?
Only some people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
60% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2022 and December 2023.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
Needs improving
-
Most people don’t get enough training
Do receptionists get enough training when they start at Places Leisure?
Most people did’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
70% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2022 and December 2023.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Needs improving
-
Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do receptionists think Places Leisure head office understands what's happening where they work?
Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
70% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2022 and December 2023.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
What Places Leisure employees say about their job
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Best thing
Friendly place
Worst thing
Low paid, rude customers, slow process
Places Leisure Employee, September 2024
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Best thing
free accsess to gym
Worst thing
managers are rude and treat people like numbers and not people.
Places Leisure Lifeguard, June 2024
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About this pay
CloseEstimated pay
This pay estimate is based on data from 10 Places Leisure employees who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2022 and December 2023.
Take the Breakroom Quiz to compare your job.