Order Clerks
Receive and process incoming orders for materials, merchandise, classified ads, or services such as repairs, installations, or rental of facilities. Generally receives orders via mail, phone, fax, or other electronic means. Duties include informing customers of receipt, prices, shipping dates, and delays; preparing contracts; and handling complaints.
Technology Tools
Key Tasks
- Review orders for completeness according to reporting procedures and forward incomplete orders for further processing.
- 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.
- Inspect outgoing work for compliance with customers' specifications.
- Recommend merchandise or services that will meet customers' needs.
- Receive and respond to customer complaints.
- Check inventory records to determine availability of requested merchandise.
- Verify customer and order information for correctness, checking it against previously obtained information as necessary.
- Confer with production, sales, shipping, warehouse, or common carrier personnel to expedite or trace shipments.
- Direct specified departments or units to prepare and ship orders to designated locations.
- 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.
- Recommend type of packing or labeling needed on order.
- Calculate and compile order-related statistics, and prepare reports for management.
- Compute total charges for merchandise or services and shipping charges.
- Inform customers by mail or telephone of order information, such as unit prices, shipping dates, and any anticipated delays.
- File copies of orders received, or post orders on records.
- Attempt to sell additional merchandise or services to prospective or current customers by telephone or through visits.
- Notify departments when supplies of specific items are low, or when orders would deplete available supplies.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
100%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
95%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
90%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
88%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
85%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
83%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
80%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
79%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
78%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
75%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
75%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
70%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
68%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
67%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
63%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
62%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
62%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
62%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
60%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
59%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
54%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
53%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
49%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
45%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
40%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
39%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
37%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
36%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
33%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
33%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
32%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
26%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
23%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
22%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
16%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
16%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
16%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
15%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
15%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
14%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
12%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
12%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
11%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
11%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
8%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
6%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
5%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
4%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
3%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
1%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
1%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
1%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
1%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
0%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
0%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
0%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
0%
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Post-secondary certificate
Bachelor's degree
Interests
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Work Styles
Work Values
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