A receptionist may have considerable downtime during the day if you receive infrequent phone calls and visitors. A receptionist position can improve your workplace productivity by handling one or more clerical functions. Many receptionists perform simple billing, manage inventory, sort and deliver mail, update websites, handle database entry and correspondence, send emails from a catchall account to the appropriate departments and keep attendance records. Small business executives who do not have personal assistants often rely on receptionists to give clients the impression they have assistants by assigning tasks such as placing phone calls and setting appointments