The major responsibilities that Receptionist perform?

Hello.

Four major responsibilities of a receptionist:

(1) Answering the telephone. 
The receptionist receives incoming telephone calls. The receptionist
not only routes calls to other employees but provides basic
information about the business (e.g., hours of operation) to customers
and other interested people. A receptionist may schedule appointments
for customers who request them by telephone. A receptionist's duties
also include relaying messages between callers and employees.

(2) Greeting visitors to the office. 
A receptionist is usually the first person that visitors will
encounter when they enter an office. The receptionist's duty is to
greet visitors in a polite, pleasant and professional way.
Additionally, the receptionist alerts appropriate personnel that the
visitor has arrived and directs visitors when to wait in a reception
area and when to proceed to another area of the office.

(3) Security. 
Related to the receptionist's role as a greeter is the receptionist's
important position within the overall security of the office. While
the receptionist is not a security guard, the receptionist is in a
position to recognize unwelcome visitors and prevent them from
entering the office. This may involve simply asking unwelcome visitors
to leave, or, in more serious situations, calling for security
personnel or the police. In some situations, a receptionist may check
identification of visitors .

(4) Secretarial tasks. 
When not performing other duties, receptionists typically perform
miscellaneous secretarial tasks. Duties will vary depending upon the
nature of the business and the availability of other personnel, but
may include light typing, receiving mail and parcels, sorting mail,
receiving faxes and email, sending faxes and email, data entry, and
filing. In some offices, receptionists may be called upon to make
travel arrangements for employees (e.g., scheduling of airplane and
hotel reservations).

Sources:

University of Missouri-St Louis: Occupational Outlook Handbook:
http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/ooh9899/263.htm

Memphis Schools Vocational Tech Center:
http://www.memphis-schools.k12.tn.us/schools/messickvotech.vt/jobs.html

CollegeView.com: Administrative Assistant - A Respected Career
http://www.collegeview.com/career/careersearch/job_profiles/busfin/aa02.html
Nationjob.com job listing:
http://www.nationjob.com/showjob.cgi/unda997.html

Southwest Missouri State University: Receptionist job listing:
http://www.smsu.edu/human/jobdescriptions/3000/3040_receptionist_smsu.htm

search strategy: receptionist, responsible, responsibilities, duties,
telephone, greeting

I hope this helps.

Receptionists also provide detailed information to clients on various
topics (I would imagine this would be a fairly major part of their
role) ; provide referrals to appropriate contacts;  receive payments
for things; check-in and check-out guests (if working in hotels or
motels).  If they work in a sales area they might promote products and
give pricing info.

Source: OZJAC - the Australian careers and courses database. Edition:
August, 2002. You can get free entry to this database via the monash
public library website at www.monlib.vic.gov.au/online.html  click on
"OZJAC courses and careers"  Look up "Job name" : receptionist.

This database also talks about related careers, personal requirements
and working conditions.  If you live in Australia it provides info
regarding courses of study that will lead to the particular job you
search under.