Christmas is almost here and hopefully your store is thriving this holiday season. Our last tip for retailers before this Friday is to take orders over the phone for last minute shoppers. Not only will this be a great selling point now but can increase sales in the future. Phone orders are quick and easy when you have a clear method in place. However, if you do not have an organized system, the process could become a disaster.

The best way to take orders over the phone is by putting the order directly into a computer system. However, if you are just starting out, you may have to begin with a pen and paper system first. Either way, record keeping is a must. Here we will outline how you can start a pen and paper system to take orders over the phone.

1. Initial Order: When customers call in, have a friendly greeting ready. Make sure that your employees are trained on how to fill out special order forms. Have the tax figured out on each item to make it easy to total.
2. Shipping: Ask how quickly they would like to have their order shipped as it will change the grand total. Let the customer know if you can guarantee that the purchase will arrive by Christmas. Make sure you let your employees know if some larger or specialty items will take longer to ship. At this point the employee should give the customer a grand total of the purchase with tax and shipping.
3. Payment: Decide beforehand how you will take payments. Over the phone you can take credit card information or have them mail you a check. However, be aware that it is a bad idea to ship merchandise prior to receiving payment. So, let your customer know that mailing a check will considerably slow down the process.
4. Receipt Process: Have your employee tell the customer how the receipt process will work. We recommend putting the receipt in the package that you ship. Or take down an e-mail address and electronically send a copy of the receipt.
5. After the Call Procedure: Make sure that you have designated places where order forms go such as a “To Fill Order” spot and a “Filled Order” spot. Also, put all orders and order statuses in the computer for more efficient record keeping.

Remember that you must comply with the Federal Trade Commission’s Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule. Listed below are some of the key points of the rule:

• Sometimes referred to as the “30-day rule,” retailers must believe that they can ship merchandise within 30 days of the order.
• If you change the shipment date, you must provide a delay notice with a new shipment date to the customer.
• If a customer cancels an order before you ship, you must comply and cancel the order.
• This rule does not cover magazine subscriptions (except for the first shipment), sales of seeds and growing plants, and orders made on a collect-on-delivery basis.

For more information and to view a complete list of mail or telephone order rules outlined by the FTC, visit the FTC website.

How does your store keep an organized phone order system?