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The parts department catches a lot of flack. 

Working in the parts department isn’t easy, and the relationship between parts and sales can be a harrowed one. Sometimes a great accessory sale upfront can fall apart in the back due to plain old poor communication. 

If you’re a parts manager, there’s good news for you. You don’t have to fight an uphill battle in 2022. A good parts business strategy can turn your department into an untouchable powerhouse. Intrigued? Read on to find out how. 

The computer-driven world we live in has reached an impasse with the global chip shortage. Some analysts predict the shortage will continue into 2023, causing a ripple effect in the automotive industry. Highly coveted new vehicles with advanced technology are in low supply. Dealerships collectively are struggling to recover from pandemic sales while navigating the next obstacle. 

In times like this, we can fall back on certainties. Americans are driving, and their vehicles will have to be serviced to last. See our methods to get more people into your service lanes than ever before. Be more than a place people go to buy vehicles!

Release the people!

There are many potential objections for a salesperson to overcome. Arguably, none are more dreaded than the deadpan reply, "I'm not interested." Customers know this is an excellent way to cut the sales pitch off before it starts. Rather than playing into that hand, overcome the objection by reopening the conversation.

While we’re spring cleaning, let’s sweep away some misconceptions about accessories. Are accessories an afterthought? A niche market? A good way to throw away your sale? *Sprays Lysol* No. No. Also, no. 

Buying used versus new shouldn’t matter when it comes to accessorizing. Options to personalize used cars abound. In fact, accessories may be all the more enticing to a used car buyer who is likely settling for what works for them now rather than purchasing their dream car.

If COVID-19 hasn’t convinced car dealers of the necessity of a vibrant online retail presence, maybe Cyber Monday 2020 will. Even before the pandemic, Cyber Monday was growing as the virtual twin (literally!) of Black Friday. Cyber Monday emerged as shoppers logged online the Monday after Thanksgiving to check store websites for any missed deals from Black Friday. 

Adobe Analytics, a marketing data software company, is predicting—in spite of or due to the pandemic—that Cyber Monday 2020 (Nov. 30) will garner $12.7 billion in online sales, up from the $9.4 billion in e-commerce in 2019.

What can one of the most popular burger joints teach your dealership about Vehicle Personalization?

Simple: everybody wants it their way. Personalization is king, and customizing is always a good idea. Right now, dealerships everywhere need all the good ideas to adapt to the times—such as building packages that allow you to display your brand’s personality—while enticing customers. Custom packages can be fluid, seasonal, brand loyal, fun, quirky, and a host of other things. 

As dealers across the nation adjust to selling vehicles online, it’s imperative that we don’t skip vehicle personalization. The easiest way to ensure customers and salespeople have a fair shot at a perfectly adorned vehicle is to make your accessory link easy to find. Trip and fall over it easy. “There it is again” easy. “I didn’t find the link, the link found me” kind of easy. When you strategically place your personalization link, you make your salesperson’s life easier, and your customer more likely to buy. 

The inception of a new program in your dealership can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. The shock factor, followed by fear and trembling and all-out anarchy can be easily avoided when management is a united front. Save the drama and your GSM’s spike in blood pressure by rolling out your accessory program from the top down.