When you think of dealership inventory success stories, you might imagine a parts department turning chaos into control. But what about a team that was already performing at a high level—yet still found a way to go even further?

That’s exactly the case with Mitch Brady, Parts Manager at Ressler Toyota in Bozeman, Montana. Mitch has been part of the dealership for nearly 11 years, working his way up from technician to parts counterman to manager. With a deep understanding of both service and parts, Mitch brought a unique perspective to inventory strategy—and found a powerful ally in PartsEdge.

“We didn’t really think we had any problems,” Mitch said. “We just wanted to sharpen the knife.”

From Good to Great: The Power of Customization

Before partnering with PartsEdge, Mitch and his parts director had already worked hard to keep their inventory tight—focusing on fast-moving items and minimizing excess. But they quickly discovered the hidden potential in customizing phase-in and phase-out strategies.

“The DMS applies the same criteria to every part,” Mitch explained. “With PartsEdge, we can tailor the strategy by source—more aggressive phase-outs for big-ticket items and more nuanced setups for high-volume parts.”

This level of control allowed them to expand their inventory’s breadth—more active parts on hand—without increasing total investment. In fact, their inventory value slightly decreased while performance metrics improved across the board.

Smarter Tools, Real-Time Feedback

One of the most impactful changes? The ability to make inventory decisions more proactively and creatively. Using unique sources for discontinued, mislabeled, or manually ordered parts, Mitch created alerts via $0 “fees” to inform the team of special handling needs—an elegant workaround that eliminated extra steps.

“PartsEdge made it fun to be creative again,” Mitch said. “We’re doing more with the data and getting better results.”

Reporting That Actually Works for Parts Managers

While CDK provides reporting, Mitch found that the insights were limited and didn’t align with how he defined obsolescence. PartsEdge reports offered more precise tracking with 13-month obsolescence data, clearer forecasting, and visibility into forced stock.

“Your reports are more honed in. They show me what I really want to see and help me track progress toward our goals.”

The Results: More On-Hand, Less Waste

In just over 60 days, the Ressler Toyota parts department has seen:

• A measurable increase in active part numbers

• A slight decrease in overall inventory value

• Obsolescence reduced by 3–4%

• Excess stock trending down

• More same-day repairs due to improved parts coverage

“I’ve had more jobs where everything’s in stock and ready to go. We’re reducing carryovers and helping the service department hit their goals, too.”

A Seamless Experience

Beyond the results, Mitch praised the onboarding experience and customer support.

“Any time I’ve had a question, it’s been answered in under an hour. Everyone’s knowledgeable. It’s been one of the best customer experiences I’ve ever had.”

Final Takeaway

Mitch didn’t wait for a problem to arise. He saw PartsEdge as a way to make a great system even better—and the results speak for themselves.

“The creativity, the collaboration, the insights—PartsEdge gives me the tools and support to do this job at the highest level. And that gives us a real edge.”