In most retail environments, specifically supermarkets, sales associates double as cashiers – and vice versa. Since retail environments are prone to rush hours, especially during holidays and over weekends, it is important for cashiers and sales associates to know each other’s work and be able to do it too if and when required.
For the sake of convenience, let’s call this position “cashier and sales associate”. A cashier and sales associate is an individual who provides customers with one on one services and also ensures that payment procedures are properly managed. He or she will be the first person that a customer will meet – and maybe the last one too – as he or she enters a retail environment. The work of a cashier and sales associate is straightforward, although not simple. Working as one, you have to greet customers, provide them with assistance in locating and choosing their products and ensure that the payment procedure is carried our without any problems or hiccups.
To work as a cashier and sales associate, one has to possess a high school diploma or a GED at the very least, along with exceptional customer services and communication skills. One also has to be a great multitasker and possess the ability to handle problems and complaints efficiently. Some of the duties of a cashier and sales associate are listed below:
Cashier and Sales Associate Job Description
• Greet customers when they arrive at the store and respond to their questions according to protocol and company policies
• Direct or lead customers to their required products and provide them with details on features and benefits of the product
• Ascertain that customers are made aware of any discounts or deals that are applicable on their chosen products
• Answer customers’ questions and ensure that any warrantee or guarantee queries are properly responded to
• Lead customer to the payment counters and assist cashiers in scanning items and providing price information
• Arrange for purchases to be packed or wrapped and ensure that they are carried / delivered to customers’ cars
• Operate cash registers by punching in purchased item and processing cash and credit card payments
• Tender change and receipts and ensure that customers check both before they leave the cash counter
• Balance cash register at the end of the shift and ensure any obvious discrepancies are properly addressed
• Arrange for change to be acquired at the beginning of each shift and create and submit reports regarding sales and levied discounts