Details for Order Clerks
Description
Receive and process incoming orders for materials, merchandise, classified ads, or services such as repairs, installations, or rental of facilities. Duties include informing customers of receipt, prices, shipping dates, and delays; preparing contracts; and handling complaints.
Tasks
- Obtain customers' names, addresses, and billing information, product numbers, and specifications of items to be purchased, and enter this information on order forms.
- Prepare invoices, shipping documents, and contracts.
- Inform customers by mail or telephone of order information, such as unit prices, shipping dates, and any anticipated delays.
- Receive and respond to customer complaints.
- Verify customer and order information for correctness, checking it against previously obtained information as necessary.
- Direct specified departments or units to prepare and ship orders to designated locations.
- Check inventory records to determine availability of requested merchandise.
- Review orders for completeness according to reporting procedures and forward incomplete orders for further processing.
- Attempt to sell additional merchandise or services to prospective or current customers by telephone or through visits.
- File copies of orders received, or post orders on records.
- Compute total charges for merchandise or services and shipping charges.
- Confer with production, sales, shipping, warehouse, or common carrier personnel to expedite or trace shipments.
- Recommend merchandise or services that will meet customers' needs.
- Adjust inventory records to reflect product movement.
- Collect payment for merchandise, record transactions, and send items, such as checks or money orders for further processing.
- Inspect outgoing work for compliance with customers' specifications.
- Notify departments when supplies of specific items are low, or when orders would deplete available supplies.
- Recommend type of packing or labeling needed on order.
- Calculate and compile order-related statistics, and prepare reports for management.
Interests
- Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
- Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
- Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Education, training, experience
- Education - These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
- Training - Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
- Experience - Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Knowledge
- English Language -Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Sales and Marketing -Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
- Computers and Electronics -Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Customer and Personal Service -Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Clerical -Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Skills
None found.
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