Parts departments are responsible for producing nearly 50% of overall dealership profit yet, in our experience, they are often undervalued, neglected, and under-supported. As the market has shifted in the wake of the pandemic, more dealers seem to be...

We talk a lot over here about being proactive vs reactive. The basic idea is that if you’re constantly stuck in the muck of emergencies in your parts department, it’s impossible to be developing plans and or making big-picture analyses of your operation....

In 2021 there were more recalls than previous years, but the good news is the total number of vehicles involved was less than in the past. Nonetheless, recalls are an unavoidable and ongoing challenge for manufacturers, dealers, and parts departments. One of...

Is your dealership considering a DMS switch? There are lots of great reasons to seek out a better fit with your DMS. Better overall performance, clearer inventory reporting, improved support, and more service management tools are just a few of many reasons to...

In a recent poll we conducted on LinkedIn asking Parts Managers if they had support they need to focus on growth, a staggering 40% responded no! While it’s understandable that so many managers are struggling, especially with parts shortages and the ongoing...

It’s no secret we’re in a digital age. Accelerated by the pandemic and ensuing social distancing, the digital marketplace is more expansive and necessary than ever. For dealerships, a stellar digital presence is paramount to success in the emerging virtual...

For the first time in history hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric light duty vehicles accounted for 11% of the sales in the fourth quarter of 2021. While much of this increase can be attributed to manufacturers increasing the number of hybrid and electric...

You’d be hard pressed to find a dealer who doesn’t acknowledge the importance of customer loyalty. But even so, many dealerships neglect to create a tangible plan or goals for their customer attraction and retention. It can be easy to assume that as long as...

In the parts business, it’s inevitable that there will be a certain amount of obsolescence. While return allowances can help offset the cost of discarding obsolete stock, a strategy that doesn’t take into consideration where obsolescence is coming from will...

In our 20+ years of working in this industry a lot has changed but one thing that has remained consistent: parts managers have A LOT on their plate. Not only that, with the increasing complexity of the DMS, manufacturer programs, parts shortages, and online...