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The efficiency of the parts department is only as good as the tools and systems you utilize. When you have the right software, your job is ten times easier. Take a look at what's available to you and see where you can make improvements. 

18 Adorable Instances of Puppies in the Parts Department 

Puppies riding along to get the car serviced is a thing. 

Where do they lounge while the oil gets changed? The parts department, of course. In some dealerships, customers dropping their pooch by the parts counter is a regular part of the day. Other stores let employee pets come in too. 

They’re terrible workers—though they do make the day a bit brighter. Enjoy these adorable instances of pups in the parts department.

Many people don’t realize what a stressful job parts managers have. 

Between the meticulous details, constant inquiries, cross-departmental conflict, and varying personalities on staff, it’s no wonder the parts manager keeps Goody’s Powder in their desk. 

It doesn’t have to be that bad. Parts managers, consider this a virtual hug. Take control of your department by overcoming these four headaches. 

Every year, dealerships across the nation leave hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table. 

Though 2020 brought hardship to the industry, 2021 brought record sales numbers that are only expected to rise this year. It's good news, but it's unstable at best. Nobody saw the pandemic coming, the chip shortage was unprecedented, and digital retailing fundamentally changed car buying. So what's a dealership to do? Take hold of what's historically unchanging and sweep up that $460,000 in accessories to start. That's right, according to the latest report, New Vehicle Dealerships are responsible for $6.9B in accessory sales every year, so that means if you aren't making at least $460,000 a year in accessories, your competitor is taking your money. Of course, dealers with the right accessory process will find much more than that.

Brand loyalty has a longstanding tradition of being an excellent lead catcher for dealerships. While the appeal of the OEM remains for many customers, it’s become more complicated. Today, customers are better researched than ever before and lean heavily on reviews to make purchases. Throw in a historical inventory shortage and even your best customers are liable to jump ship out of necessity. This year, dealers have to pivot marketing efforts to capture every lead they can.

For the first time in automotive history, buying a car online is normal. From start to finish, customers can browse, accessorize, and checkout from the couch. 

The turnover rate at dealerships has reached an unsustainable point. According to JMA Group, “the employee turnover rate in the automotive industry is 46%, an all-time high.” That staggering percentage is taking an overall snapshot of the dealership. When you examine individual departments, the situation is grimmer. As of 2019, pre-pandemic, annual turnover for service advisors came in at 49%, while yearly turnover for sales consultants was at 80%.

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. 

While low inventory isn’t a new issue and the residual effects are going to be around for a few more years, it’s always good to share tips that have real results! Our consultants have been working through the chip shortage, in the trenches, with dealerships for the last year. Whether your dealership had lots of volume and didn’t start to see a shortage until August 2021 or your dealership felt the shortage almost immediately, we’ve been working with everyone to find the right strategies to keep revenue up where possible.

If you bring up low inventory at family Thanksgiving this year, you're canceled. 

"Let's talk about the chip shortage over cranberry stuffing," said no one ever. We don't have a lot of inventory, guys. So let's bedazzle what we do have and slide into 2022 with a bit of pep in our step. Yes, this year was supposed to be better than the treacherous pandemic year and didn't deliver. Through these rose-colored glasses, however, 2022 is looking pretty good. There are steps you can take today and into Q1 to turn survival into thriving next year.