Seems like a pretty cut-and-dried decision, right? Do you take orders all day or do you help people solve their business or personal challenges? Are you like the person behind the counter at the local fast food joint or more like a salesperson for a high-tech company that supplies the military with satellite navigational devices? Youâd think the fast food person pretty much takes orders and the high-tech guy is a problem solver, right? But donât judge a job by its description.
While itâs rare, Iâve seen people in restaurants who are born salespeople. They are smiling when they ask for your order and suggest options other than âwould you like fries with that order?â They make it easy to place your order, theyâre efficient and say âthank youâ as they deliver your order. Chick fil-A does an amazing job of training their frontline people and other chains have taken notice. On the other hand, Iâve seen supposed big-time salespeople who simply take the order for products or services from a procurement manager. No questions, no up-selling; though they may at least remember to say âthank you.â
What differentiates someone as an order taker or problem solver in life? Can you be trained to be a problem solver or are these attributes something youâre born with? Do you recognize in yourself any of the five traits below that all problem solvers tend to have?
- Creativity: Problem solvers are always looking for a solution to the challenges they face and not necessarily the most obvious ones. They look for creative solutions, ways that will differentiate them from the pack. Given the new world we live in, selling is a completely different game today than it was just last year. The Internet changed everything and made it much easier for customers to find information and look for the cheapest price. Problem solvers donât sell on price, they sell solutions that solve problems, plain and simple.
- A desire to help others: Order takers want to be helpful as long as they donât have to do much to make that happen. Problem solvers have a true desire in their heart to help others. They will go above and beyond to help their customers, friends and family solve the challenges that arise and will do it with a smile as big as the Grand Canyon. Entrepreneurs are problem solvers, always looking for new ideas around which they can create a business. Problem solvers are always asking, âwhat ifâ questions as they look for solutions. What if you do C instead of A or B, or what if you substitute this ingredient for that one. âWhat ifâ questions help you think outside the box and find new solutions for old problems.
- No whining: Problem solvers donât whine. If one option doesnât work, itâs on to another and another and another until they find one. But to whine would be counter-productive and wouldnât get them any closer to helping others find creative solutions. As Anthony J. DâAngelo said, âIf you have time to whine and complain about something, then you have time to do something about it.â Itâs said that Thomas Edison tried and failed 10,000 times before finding the solution to the electric light bulb. Instead of whining, Edison said each failure showed him what wouldnât work and brought him that much closer to a solution.
- Go beyond the obvious: Almost every challenge or issue has an immediate and obvious answer. That doesnât mean however that the first answer is always the best course of action, and so problem solvers dig deeper. Theyâll ask questions, take notes, and discover whatâs working and whatâs not. Their options will usually be more encompassing and will look to not only solve the immediate challenges, but also those that may yet be on the horizon.
- Always willing to learn: Order takers are happy there are clients that donât need a lot of hand-holding. Problem solvers want clients that challenge them and make them look for new ways to tackle challenges. They are always learning, reading books and articles, taking classes and watching videos to gain knowledge. They understand the world is growing at an incredibly fast pace and if you arenât keeping up, youâre falling behind. They understand continuous self-education is a key to their success.
Iâd say I fall into both categories of order taker and problem solver. While Iâm more than willing to be an order taker if thatâs all I think an opportunity offers, my best work is done when Iâm working to solve a problem. Thatâs when the creative juices kick in, when Iâm most enthusiastic, and when my customers can see Iâm there to help them with their challenges and to make them look like heroes.
The need for problem solvers is at an all-time high as the world grows more and more complex. In the new era of a pandemic, what used to work is very often outdated and needs to be altered. Traditional promotional products have taken a back seat now to PPE. Restaurants are learning how to make takeout orders their main source of revenue given the changing landscape of social distancing within a restaurant, if they can open at all.
If you continue to learn throughout life, go beyond the obvious, be creative and donât whine, chances are you will be successful beyond your wildest dreams and help others along the way, too.
Steve Woodburn started hustling early in life, landing his first on-air radio gig when he was just 20 and spending the next 20 years as a DJ, news anchor, talk show host and traffic reporter. He found the promotional products business totally by accident (as do most) working 29 years on the distributor side and five as a supplier. Steve won multiple sales awards along the way and volunteered his time with his local association, the Regional Association Council (RAC) and served on the PPAI Board of Directors. He's currently the Chief Adventurer of Marvelous Moosey Adventures, a company he and his wife created, and pursues acting, writing and voice-over work. Connect with Steve on Linkedin or via email at successnow09@gmail.com