BLOG
Stay up to date with the latest topics and events.
3 Processes to Keep Your Parts Department Running Smoothly
The parts department is one of the most complex parts of any dealership. It serves as the first impression for many customers and has challenges that no other department will face. At times, it may even seem like an impossible task to make everyone happy. Keeping...
Creating a “Wow” Experience With Your Parts Department
When it comes to parts, most people don’t think about them until they need them. Therefore it is critical to be at the front of your customers’ minds when that need arises. One of the easiest ways to do that is to set up parts displays in your showroom near...
Hiring for the Parts Department
Not just anyone can be picked off up the street and be placed at the parts counter. There is a mix of customer service, technical knowledge, sales ability, and attention to detail required to be an excellent parts person. So, when you are in need of the mystical...
Parts Inventory On Hand
Today, it makes no sense for a dealership to maintain a large parts inventory, or stock ten of the same item, because manufacturers have greatly improved their ability to get you the parts you need when you need them. Twenty years ago, it took almost 30 days to get...
The World of Online Parts
Online shopping has topped the charts in the last couple years, producing trillions of dollars in sales worldwide, with an average of 7% of ALL sales being made online*. In our industry, the convenience of allowing customers to shop from home, but guarantee the...
Sales: The Value of a Customer
Calculate closing ratio It all starts off with some basic calculations, the first being your closing ratio. Let’s say that you kept track for a two-week period of time and found that 70 people had come into your dealership to look at equipment. Out of that group of...
Special Report- The National Hardware Show
Last week, I went to the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas. I always enjoy going to industry shows. There is something about the excitement in the air that always leaves me energetic and optimistic about the state of the industry we are in. While I was at the...
Sales: Compensation
Compensation, regardless of the position in a dealership, is always a hot topic. How much can I afford to pay? What level of performance do I have the right to expect as an owner from my people? How do I know whether I am paying too much, or just as bad, not...
Sales: Your Marketing Dollars Put to Work
Who is your typical customer? Do you know? Grab a piece of paper and write down the answers to the following questions about your “typical” customer. What is their gender? What is their average age? What is their favorite radio station? Got it? Now, next to that I...
Understanding the Roles of the Sales Department
Regardless of whether it’s service, parts, sales, or rental, each department has various roles that need to be filled to successfully take care of customers and to make sure the dealership is growing as projected. In the past, I have discussed both the service and...
How much money are you walking over?
Download our Recovery Rate Calculator