What does a counter clerk do?
A counter clerk completes customer orders, processes payments, and ensures customer satisfaction. They may also assist customers by answering inquiries, offering discounts, and recommending products and services. They perform tasks such as packing purchases, keeping records of transactions, balancing cash drawers, and reporting to managers. Additionally, a counter clerk may conduct inventory inspections, order supplies, and maintain the sales floor.
Counter clerk responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real counter clerk resumes:
- Conduct routine inspections and manage mechanics payroll data utilizing ADP.
- Record all sales transactions on POS and accurately process cash, and credit card transactions.
- Preform end of day close out, including POS, cash count and inventory management.
- Maintain shop cleanliness and inventory levels.
- Maintain cleanliness according to sanitation requirements.
- Register patients for medical services--operate switchboard--perform additional administrative support tasks for supervisory staff as needed.
- Produce well develop products such as Meijer brands of bread and pastries, while following policies and guidelines of the store.
Counter clerk skills and personality traits
We calculated that 22% of Counter Clerks are proficient in Customer Service, Cleanliness, and Basic Math. They’re also known for soft skills such as Near vision, Patience, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Counter Clerks that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 22%
Provide quality customer service -Receive and deliver customers clothing -Managed account information -Handled and managed cash drawer/ reports
- Cleanliness, 9%
Maintained shop cleanliness and inventory levels.
- Basic Math, 9%
Handle cash transactions with basic math and register skills.
- Cash Handling, 9%
Greeted customers, prepared and served orders, performed cash handling duties, kept a clean work and service area
- Sales Floor, 7%
Counted merchandise on the sales floor and in stock room; assisted with inventory checks
- Food Preparation, 6%
Supervised food preparation quality and counter workers.
Common skills that a counter clerk uses to do their job include "customer service," "cleanliness," and "basic math." You can find details on the most important counter clerk responsibilities below.
Near vision. The most essential soft skill for a counter clerk to carry out their responsibilities is near vision. This skill is important for the role because "cashiers need to see well enough to scan items and process transactions accurately." Additionally, a counter clerk resume shows how their duties depend on near vision: "promoted to train new employees in the provision of excellent customer service and on the fulfillment of all job particulars. "
Patience. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling counter clerk duties is patience. The role rewards competence in this skill because "cashiers must be able to remain calm when interacting with customers." According to a counter clerk resume, here's how counter clerks can utilize patience in their job responsibilities: "provided excellent customer service in a fast-paced setting developed patience and problem-solving abilities oversaw end-of-day reports and staff members"
Communication skills. This is an important skill for counter clerks to perform their duties. For an example of how counter clerk responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "cashiers must pay attention to customers’ questions and explain pricing." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a counter clerk: "developed food preparation techniques enhancing my time management skills improved communication skills by communicating effectively with customers and co-workers".
Customer-service skills. For certain counter clerk responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "customer-service skills." The day-to-day duties of a counter clerk rely on this skill, as "cashiers must be courteous and friendly when helping customers." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what counter clerks do: "prepared ingredients and assembled pizzas, maintained store to cleanliness standards, trained new employees, customer attention and service. "
Dexterity. A commonly-found skill in counter clerk job descriptions, "dexterity" is essential to what counter clerks do. Counter clerk responsibilities rely on this skill because "cashiers use their hands to operate registers and scan purchases." You can also see how counter clerk duties rely on dexterity in this resume example: "work inside counter sales receiving and shipping merchandise drove forklifts to move supplies operated flatbed truck to deliver cylinders to customers"
The three companies that hire the most counter clerks are:
- Festival Foods13 counter clerks jobs
- MGM Resorts International11 counter clerks jobs
- Buehler7 counter clerks jobs
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Compare different counter clerks
Counter clerk vs. Advanced repair agent
Advanced repair agents are skilled professionals who are responsible for creating a supportive environment for customers by offering technology-related and solution-based recommendations to solve their repair needs. These agents are required to ask their customers the right questions and listen to them carefully while taking detailed noted about their software and hardware issues. They must collaborate with other team members to diagnose technology issues by performing troubleshooting activities and using their specialty software. Advanced repair agents must also answer phone calls to assist customers in solving simple technology problems.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a counter clerk are more likely to require skills like "cleanliness," "basic math," "cash handling," and "sales floor." On the other hand, a job as an advanced repair agent requires skills like "consumer electronics," "client devices," "geek," and "phone calls." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Advanced repair agents tend to reach similar levels of education than counter clerks. In fact, advanced repair agents are 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Counter clerk vs. Rental agent
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, counter clerk responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "cleanliness," "basic math," "cash handling," and "sales floor." Meanwhile, a rental agent has duties that require skills in areas such as "reservations," "credit card," "customer issues," and "service techniques." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Rental agents may earn a higher salary than counter clerks, but rental agents earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $33,318. On the other hand, counter clerks receive higher pay in the transportation industry, where they earn an average salary of $32,144.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Rental agents tend to reach similar levels of education than counter clerks. In fact, they're 1.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Counter clerk vs. Car rental agent
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from counter clerk resumes include skills like "basic math," "cash handling," "sales floor," and "food preparation," whereas a car rental agent is more likely to list skills in "reservations," "credit card," "customer satisfaction," and "car rentals. "
Car rental agents typically earn similar educational levels compared to counter clerks. Specifically, they're 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Counter clerk vs. Front counter attendant
Types of counter clerk
Updated January 8, 2025
