J.D. Power recently published the 2017 U.S. Consumer Service Index (CSI) Study - which measures customer satisfaction with Service at both, an automotive dealer franchise and an independent Service facility, on maintenance or repair work for 1-5 year old vehicles.

This year the Customer Service Index was 813, up 13 points over the previous year. Chris Sutton, VP, U.S. Automotive Retail Practice at J.D. Power said, “Proactive communication with the customer, especially while the car is being serviced, is one element that has a direct influence on loyalty.”

We know that offering exceptional customer service will drive up the number of return customers to a dealership, but what J.D. Power study shows is that communication is one of the key measures that consumers are using to gauge their experience. To communicate well, you need to have facts at your fingertips, which includes knowing for certain that parts are in-stock and available to use.

Whether the customer is looking to purchase parts for an at home repair or is bringing their car to the shop to be fixed, having the parts on hand and being able to locate them quickly has a huge impact on a positive customer experience. 

As such, it is critical that your parts department runs as efficiently as possible. The more time it takes you to produce the necessary parts, the less impressed your customers will be. 

You have probably experienced the negative impact of a poorly managed inventory before.

A customer brings their car into the shop for repair. Once the problem has been diagnosed, the parts department looks in the inventory system to determine whether or not the parts are there. Seeing that they are in stock, the customer is called and told that the job will be completed by a specific date. The problem is, when the parts are pulled, it is discovered that one is missing. Maybe it has been misplaced or maybe it was used on another job and not billed out, or not properly allocated. 

Whatever the case may be, you now have to call the customer to tell them that the job will take longer than anticipated, or you have to absorb the cost of having the part special ordered. Perhaps you have to do both.

Your parts and services departments are frustrated with each other for failing to properly control the inventory and, most importantly, your customer is upset by the delay, lowering their overall satisfaction. 

So how do you ensure that your parts department is able to work effectively with the service department to optimize service quality, timeliness and customer satisfaction – you take these 5 steps. 

1. Do a physical inventory to ensure that your DMS accurately reflects what is on your shelves. 
2. Organize your parts and be sure to properly label each bin and shelf so that parts are easy to locate, pull and return if necessary. We see so many Parts Departments with no labeling on pins for parts. 
3. Come up with policies and procedures for managing your Parts Department – this may include limiting the number and type of personnel who have access to the inventory, ensuring parts are returned to their proper place, etc. 
4. Inventory parts with recurring discrepancies on a more regular basis to ensure accuracy is maintained throughout the year
5. Investigate discrepancies immediately. If a part that is supposed to be in stock is not, take the time to find out why as it will help identify and resolve any inventory management issues. 

By following these steps, you can help your Parts Department increase efficiencies and improve customer satisfaction. 

If you would like to speak to one of our auto parts inventory experts, or receive a quote, contact us today!