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6 Warning Signs It’s Time to Find a New Physical Inventory Company

clem-onojeghuo-91150-896999-edited-843636-edited.jpgFew people like change, which is why many dealerships don’t go out of their way to find a new inventory service provider, even when they think it may be time.

Sure, there are some situations where you can’t help but change. If you’re current Parts Department Physical Inventory provider is retiring, cutting back their hours or closing up shop, the decision to look for a new provider is straightforward.

But what if the problem isn’t so clear cut? What if you have a service provider who is doing an okay job, and is available for the foreseeable as a long-term service provider? Even if they aren’t meeting your full expectations, they’re getting the job done and that’s what’s really important. Or is it?

While a service provider’s ability to get the job done is critical, there are other factors that you should consider before committing to your inventory company. 

Here are 6 warning signs to look out for, that may mean it’s time to hire a new physical inventory service provider.

1. Small but Repeated Errors

Everyone makes mistakes. It’s a fact of life. But, if your current inventory company is making the same errors over and over again, you should be looking for a new provider.

Even if it only takes a small amount of time to correct, failing to mitigate the source of a repeated error suggests that your provider is not committed to bettering their service over time, critical in the automotive industries ever-changing environment.

2. Poor Communication 

Communication is key to almost everything we do in business, and poor communication can have an adverse effect on every area of your operation.

How easy a service provider is to work with, largely depends on their ability to communicate with you about all aspects of their service. You need to be confident that your inventory service provider is effectively communicating with you, especially in an emergency situation. If you feel like your current provider is failing to communicate with you, or doing so in a way that is ineffective, it may be time to find a new provider.

3. Bad Follow-Ups and Follow-Through

As an extension of our above point, you not only need to receive strong communication from your provider, you need to be confident that they will follow up and follow through.

Everyone gets busy, but that is no reason to not complete the job you said you would. You should be able to depend on your inventory management team to respond to you in a timely manner, as well as complete the jobs they said they would do when they said they would do it!

If you find yourself chasing after your current provider or you notice that tasks aren’t getting done, you should start looking at other options.

4. No Strategic Guidance

Your Physical Inventory Company should not only be getting the job done, they should provide you with suggestions and recommendations that could streamline your process and help eliminate avoidable mistakes.  They should be experienced in Parts Department Management as well.

If your inventory company is simply doing the job, without offering up long-term solutions, then you are not receiving the best service possible.  Let’s face it.  It’s not hard to count parts.  What do they offer above and beyond the count? That’s what separates the best from the rest.

Does your inventory provider send in a local Parts Manager to conduct the physical, or does the owner whose reputation that’s on the line show up?

5. Constantly Late or Rushed

You need an inventory service provider that you can depend on. If your physical inventory company is waiting until the last minute to frantically complete a job, or they are finishing the job late, then you are not getting the attention you deserve.  Are they rushing to catch a flight or get to the next job?  Maybe they take too long, or don’t bring in enough help to finish the job in an efficient manner.

You need to feel confident that your provider is doing the best job they can, and that they are focused on doing it right. If they miss deadlines without a reasonable explanation or they continue to make the same excuses, you may want to look for another provider.

6. The Crew Has Little or No Experience

I have talked to several clients lately that have complained that the help the former inventory provider has brought in has had little or no experience.  The economy is pretty good right now.  Good help is very hard to find, and people that work 5-6 days a week really value their time off.  Make sure your current provider uses good quality dealership experienced help.

 

At Pro Count West, we know the importance of inventory management in the automotive industry, which is why we get fully involved in all of our client’s inventory processes.

Not only do we ensure the job is done in a timely and productive manner, we offer post-inventory consultations, which include effective solutions and recommendations and 24/7 support.

Contact us to day to find out how we can help!

Get A Quote

 

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