If you’re a parts manager on an auto-replenishment program such as GM’s RIM program or Chrysler’s ARO, one great question to ask yourself is “Do I totally rely on the replenishment program to restock my inventory shelves?”

Anyone who has started a business knows relationships are at the root of their success. No individual nor business succeeds without the support of those around them. With the goal of understanding the future of the automotive industry, we can identify some...

There used to be a time on the CDK Drive System when it took a lot of work to set up an expense account so that you could bill out items such as Freight Charges, Tire Disposal Fees, Tire Tax, and Waste Oil fees. The process included setting up a Source,...

How will future technological advances impact the automotive industry? Modern technological advances have impacted every industry on some level, even rendering some obsolete. The cell phone alone dents the clock, watch, calculator, game console, computer,...

The problem with "fill rate" is that it can be manipulated based on the way you receipt parts into your inventory system. Your particular mix of wholesale, retail, and warranty can make a number like that better or worse and just the opposite for other...

All too often we get phone calls from parts managers looking to sell off their obsolete inventory. Dealing with reactive retail, as we do in automotive dealerships, obsolescence is a necessary and unavoidable part of the business. Idle inventory can build...

I’ve started an informal study with the ultimate goal of answering the question; “what percentage of Part Numbers, added to a Dealership’s DMS, actually achieve an active stocking status?” Here’s what I have found so far. A shocking 3.71% of all part numbers...

Probably the top question that I get from Parts Managers day in and day out is, “How does my inventory rate compared to others you have seen?” So today I want to try and develop a clear picture of what exactly the average inventory looks like organized by...