Finishing Strong, Part 3: Would You Like Fries With That?

Today we’re going to take a look at another type of salesperson…the Order Taker.

Perhaps the most common type of order taker would be the fast food counter attendant. They are the front line of this busy hive of activity. This type of sales position affords a bit more flexibility than that of the order handler. Order takers have a more interactive role with customers, and are often expected to perform a certain amount of suggestive selling — thus the ever-popular, “would you like fries with that?”

Again, the order taker plays an integral role in the sales process. Having a pleasant personality, attention to detail, prompt service, and suggestive selling skills (whether it be fries, or a limited-time offer) translates into happy, satisfied customers, and additional sales.

Quality control and evaluation should be a constant when working with order takers. It can be a stressful, and often thankless job. Knowing this, it is important to create a pleasant work environment — one in which the order taker feels valued and appreciated. Ongoing training, a responsive management team, a fair wage, and performance incentives will all help to insure that your front line is providing excellent service to your customers. It will also reduce turnover among your staff, and reduces costs that would be spent in hiring and training new employees.