10 Things Fast Food Employees Can Teach Inside Sales Reps
“At least you’re not working at Burger King anymore,” my dad sighed at the dinner table. We were discussing my new position as Digital Content Intern at AG Salesworks, and inevitably the discussion veered towards my past jobs.
I’m going to be honest: This job is definitely a step up.
My first paid job was at Burger King. I wasn’t a cashier – I didn’t have to ask the dreaded question, “Would you like fries with that?” – but I was in charge of the sandwich station, keeping up with the steady flow of orders that showed up on the TV monitor facing the station.
Eventually, I quit Burger King. But then I needed a summer job, and I returned to fast food. For three years, I worked at Subway. Subway was a much cleaner experience, and people seemed happier to be there. I wasn’t stuck in the back this time, either. As a Sandwich Artist, I watched the evolution of a customer’s hunger to his satisfaction. And I smiled. A lot.
When I applied to AG Salesworks, I didn’t include Subway or Burger King on my resume. I didn’t have room. But as I started to think about experiences that I’ve had that relate to sales and marketing, I realized that the fast food industry and the sales and marketing industry were similar in a plethora of ways. Heck, I could even write a blog post about it!
So, here are some things inside sales representatives can learn from fast food employees.
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Build rapport with the regulars. Every day at Subway, a Robert Downey Jr. look-a-like would sweep in and order the exact same thing: a chicken salad sandwich on wheat bread. I was proud of myself for remembering his order, and I was proud of him for coming to Subway every day (so healthy!). In the same way, inside sales reps should treasure the prospects they haven't spoken to in a long time. They may not be ready for your solution today, but returning to them may remind them that you care about their business's success. So check in on them every so often, and see how they’re doing.
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Anticipate the pains and needs of a customer. Some people at Subway had very specific instructions, and you had to learn to get used to the constant nitpicking of several customers. This is like an inside sales representative’s attempt to learn the pains and needs of their prospect. At Subway, we’re required to ask if you’d like jalapenos even if you ask for everything; most of the time, people would thank me for anticipating that, no, they would not like the spicy pepper on their “Everything” sandwich. By asking questions I was able to anticipate the pains and needs of the customer, and simple, targeted questions can help inside sales reps determine the pains and needs of their prospects, too.
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Execute a process. There are many steps in passing a lead, not to mention leaving a voicemail or writing an email. In the same way, there are many different ways to make a Subway sandwich. We were taught to make the sandwich as quickly and efficiently as possible. For inside sales, passing a lead should be quick and efficient, as well.
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Make a connection with someone. I have perfected the art of small talk thanks to Subway. Isn’t the weather nice? How are you? It’s when, after enough visits, I was able to ask, “How are your kids?” that I knew I had made a connection with someone. Making connections with sales prospects – treating them like real human beings, and genuinely caring about how they are (or how their family is) – can lead to amazing results.
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Solve problems. Sometimes, there are problems, glitches in the system. I can’t count the amount of times I’ve accidentally given away the wrong sandwich, and had to run after the customers outside to give them the right one. But I never wallowed; I fixed the problem and moved on, assuring the customer that it wouldn’t happen again. Inside sales reps may find they’re in a situation that needs problem-solving, too, either because of their own mistake or a challenge presented by their prospect. In that situation, solve the problem, and try to make the experience for the prospect as good as possible given the situation.
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Show your expertise. Obviously, inside sales reps must know everything they can about the product they’re selling. They must wholeheartedly recommend that product, too. The same applies at restaurants. Sometimes, customers want to know what you eat. Customers relied on my expertise to make their decision, just like prospects rely on inside sales reps' expertise to help them solve their pains and needs.
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Do as much as you can. In sales, you’re a team player. Every so often, it’s nice to help someone else out. At Subway, running between the counter, the dishwashing station and the walk-in freezer was normal. You were always completing another task, even if you weren’t specifically assigned to it. It’s the same in inside sales; it’s important to build relationships with your coworkers, espeically with your peers in marketing, to help align sales and marketing teams towards the same goal of increasing revenue.
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Bring order to chaos. Sometimes it got so busy at Subway and Burger King that everyone started freaking out. But I tried to be the one person who had a constant smile – even if it was forced. Just that small act made people remark – “Allie, why are you always so happy?” That was my way of bringing order to chaos, hoping that my smile would help everyone else feel more relaxed. For inside sales, something as simple as smiling while speaking to a prospect or as complicated as developing a new targeted teleprospecting list can bring order to chaos.
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Earn your money. In sales, the more you sell, the more you earn. In fast food, the more efficient and upbeat you are, the more you earn. Yes, I’m talking about tips. While it’s hard to determine exactly why some people do and some people don’t tip,there are certain things you can do to make it more likely. In the same way, there are certain things sales reps can do to ensure a happy prospect, and maybe even a boost in passed leads.
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Stay happy. My boss would always tell us that smiles are the most important. He liked me because I was perky; and it wasn’t too hard to keep up the smiles. In fact, it came naturally after a while, so I looked dazed and elated even when there were no customers in the restaurant. Tricking myself into smiling helped in situations where everything seemed to be going wrong, and actually made me more proactive (instead of the people who were whining in the back about an annoying customer). Inside sales reps need to maintain their perkiness as well, and doing so can even increase work performance. Look for an upcoming guide about how optimism can increase sales performance; there’s a lot of research behind this claim!
I hope these pointers help you realize the similarities between fast food and sales, and what both industries can learn from each other. Do you have any experience in fast food that can relate to the inside sales industry?