A day in the life of an inventory auditor

Across the country, we employ hundreds of auditors in towns and cities both large and small. One thing that unites us is the way we approach our workday. From proven processes to common values, our clients receive consistent service and results from our auditors. So, what does a common day in the life of an inventory auditor look like?  Chelsea Brown is an Audit Supervisor in the Columbus, Ohio area. She’s worked at Quantum Services for four and a half years. Before she joined Quantum, she worked for Giant Eagle, a regional grocer, for five years. Her experience in inventory stocking and point of sales proved helpful as she started in inventory auditing. 

Rise and shine

Our audit teams work earlier, weekday shifts. “I usually get on the road as early as 5 a.m. It can take me as little as 10 minutes or as long as 2 hours to get to a store, depending on where I am scheduled. On most days, my commute time to the first store is about 30-45 minutes,” shared Chelsea.  “The first thing I do when I get to a store is to make sure I say hello and let the staff know I’m there. Then, I usually like to grab myself a cup of coffee.” 

Conducting an audit

Once Chelsea has checked in with store staff, she gets down to work. Auditors’ work includes physically counting and/or scanning inventory, like snacks, drinks and tobacco. While she’s working, Chelsea said, “Usually I like to converse with the manager a bit throughout the audit to break the ice. Just asking how they’re doing or what they’ve been up to since I saw them last,” she shared. “Most of the time I find myself focusing in on the music that’s playing in the store, and I end up humming along.”  The time it takes to complete an audit varies by store size and audit type. “For me, a financial audit can take about 3-4 hours and a full scan audit will be more like 5-6 hours,” she shared. “After we finish counting, that’s when we input the audit’s paperwork and check our work on our laptops to make sure we catch any mistakes we may have made; mistakes do happen, we’re human after all. That’s when we do any necessary recounts and review results with the managers.” 

Building relationships

After counting, auditors check-in with store management to share count insights, discuss questions and review data together. “We go over counts with them for special items, like cigarettes or lottery, before the audit is complete. We also walk the store to make sure no product was missed, and we go over the audit results,” said Chelsea. “We also ask them for reports for the final paperwork and reports.” 

Wrapping up the day

Auditors usually count two stores in a day and are finished with work around 4 p.m. Some days are earlier, and some days are longer. It all depends on store preparedness, potential recounts and distance traveled. Chelsea said, “I like to have a little travel time. It gives me the chance to prepare myself mentally in the morning or unwind a bit on the way home. It’s always nice to put on some music when I know I’ll be in the car for awhile. Before the pandemic, we carpooled for the longer drives and it was a nice way to get to know your co-workers.” 

Best part of the job

“My favorite thing about my job is the constant movement. I can’t sit still, so I’m totally fine with doing a physical job. I’m always moving and there’s always something I can be doing. There isn’t a lot of downtime and that’s perfect for me,” she shared.  Of course, while there can be many great features of a job there is always going to be an aspect you don’t prefer. “My least favorite thing would be getting myself up in the morning,” said Chelsea. “This is why I’m always getting coffee at the stores!”  Even with the earlier hours, Chelsea finds value in what she does every day. “Our clients are our priority, and we take pride in the service we provide. There are always opportunities to learn new things and grow at Quantum as an employee – traveling to help other divisions, learning to become an audit supervisor, or helping on special projects,” she shared.    And to those considering a job with Quantum Services? Chelsea knows exactly what it takes to succeed. “We want people who take pride in what they do and that care about the service they provide to our clients. We look for people who are engaged and eager to learn.”  If you’d like to learn more about career opportunities available in your area, view our open jobs.