A greeter is a person who stands at or near the entrance to a building such as an airport, shopping mall, grocery store, or freestanding retail store to welcome people as they enter. Some restaurants and hotels also hire greeters who open the doors for guests as they enter. In addition to welcoming people as they enter, a greeter is also sometimes responsible for offering information. A greeter might guide a hotel guest to the check-in desk. A greeter who is working for a grocery store or retail chain might be responsible for telling people about promotions and sales or handing out coupons to people as they enter.
Greeters who work at airports may be employed by the airport or by specific airlines. Those who are employed by the airport may be responsible for helping people to find their way in the airport and directing them to the appropriate counters. A greeter who is employed by an airline might be responsible for helping travelers with baggage. A traveler who has booked a flight with the greeter's airline employer might, with the help of the greeter, be able to check his baggage at the curb when he arrives at the airport.
Churches also regularly use greeters on holidays and days of worship. Greeters who work at churches may be employed by the church, but are often volunteers. These kinds of greeters are responsible for welcoming members of the congregation as well as guests who have not attended the church in the past. They also often hand out programs that include information about the day's service and other notes about the goings on within the church and church groups.
Depending on the industry, a greeter's primary job may be to offer assistance or to promote sales. In places like hotels and airports, greeters are meant to offer assistance. In shopping malls and grocery stores, however, greeters are usually used to boost sales by making customers aware of new products or promoting products that are being sold at a special price. Sometimes greeters also hand out samples of products in order to encourage sales.
In some cases, companies seek people who are bilingual or speak multiple languages to work as greeters. This is especially common in areas where multiple languages are spoken. Bilingual and multilingual greeters are also often hired to work in airports.
