Senior Sales Assistant Food Service

Chris Fong
604 Harmony Lane
Pleasantville, CA 94588
(925) 555-1234

EXPERIENCE SUMMARY

Organizational and Workflow Management
• Successfully settled staff unrest over rigid work roster system at a retail bakery. Revamped staff scheduling to achieve a more equitable mix of skills that allowed for personal flexibility, while meeting the demands of peak customer periods.
• Commended by management and team members alike for ability to meet the challenges of high-pressure, fast-paced environments.
• Revamped storage areas to maximize space and assure easier and safer selection of frequently used supplies.

Sales and Communications
• Assumed role of staff mentor and trainer to enhance the knowledge base of subordinates. As Factory Outlet Manager overseeing the retail arm of a small manufacturing firm, translated and communicated retail sales, conflict resolution techniques, and important occupational health and safety issues to staff.
• Developed outstanding relationships by individualizing and nurturing loyal/regular clients; remember pertinent facts from previous sales and/or communications.
• Spearheaded several small-scale promotional competitions that invited proactive customer involvement, encouraged repeat business and built business good-will.
• As a senior sales assistant and team member, identified underlying tensions negatively impacting the work environment. Steadily and quietly mediated conflicts between disgruntled staff and management, that when resolved, infinitely improved staff demeanor and productivity.
• Won back wholesale buyer returning up to $800 a week to business revenues.

CAPABILITIES

• Diplomatic & Expeditious Problem Solving • Staff Supervision
• Dispute Mediation/Negotiation/Resolution • New Product Development
• Continuous Improvement • Quality Control
• Workplace Health & Safety • Staff Rosters
• Stock Ordering/Inventory Control • Staff Training & Development
• Customer Relationship Management • Streamlining Procedures & Processes

Software knowledge: Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint; Internet, and email.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Romanov Bakery, Hurstbridge, CA
1988 - Present
Senior Sales Assistant
Popular pastry and bread bake house; family-owned with staff of 10.

As the longest serving staff member recognized for senior-level knowledge of bake house operations, head a small, tight-knit customer-service team. Multifaceted role touches several core business disciplines from sales and marketing, through customer service, team leadership and training, inventory control, and new product development. Frequently act as "fire-fighter" mediating conflicts between staff and management to maintain workplace harmony.

• Restored confidence of VIP client - a wholesaler buyer previously contributing up to $800 a week to the bottom line. Citing irreconcilable differences with the owner, the buyer was resistant to reversing decision, yet responded positively to subtle maneuvering intended to re-open lines of communication. Mediating steadily between both parties to resolve areas of contention proved successful, with the buyer returning to his preferred product.
• Reversed employee turnover and strengthened retention rates by encouraging business owner to adopt a more "worker-friendly" approach. Successfully and diplomatically demonstrated the positive effects of a non-confrontational management style, assuring improved staff motivation and productivity.
• Completely revamped staff roster system, winning across-the-board approval for initiatives in achieving more equitable time and skills mixes.
• Conducted formal and informal training to new recruits to assure optimum customer service and promote workplace safety.
• Initiated several ideas for new products that served to stimulate customers' interest and prompt repeat business. Included cheese-pull part products, cake varieties and sandwich fillings.
• Reduced food wastage by suggesting several new derivative products that could successfully utilize unsold items. Turned a loss into a revenue raiser on such new products as fruit slices produced from unsold Christmas cake and left-over fruit mince stocks; and adding vegetables to sausage roll mixtures to produce meatloaf for sandwich area.
• Refurbished stock area, restoring order to chaos, improving worker safety and providing at-a-glance information on existing supply holdings.
• Instrumental in staging special store promotions including customer competitions.

Independance Supermarket, Centerville, CA
1986 - 1988
Sales Assistant
Small country supermarket providing personalized customer service. Conducted counter sales, processed stock orders, checked deliveries against order tickets for accuracy.

Acme Nuts, Thomastown, CA
1984 - 1986
Factory Outlet Manager
Wholesale nut and confectionary processor and distributor with small retail "factory outlet" store.

Managed factory outlet shop. Stocked shelves, balanced takings, filled customer orders, answered telephones, collected mail, administered daily banking, initiated customer order deliveries, and trained factory staff.

TRAINING

• Receptionist/Front Desk Training Course, (March 2002)
• Introduction to Computers, Allwood House (2001)

PRWRA Gayle Howard - Top Margin - gayle@topmarginonline.com