However, it’s a strategy that many dealerships often overlook. Here are 3 tips to help parts managers increase their auto parts sales.
1) Sell More Manufacturer Auto Parts
When it comes to auto repairs, not all parts are the same. A repair shop’s first instinct may be to request non-Manufacturer parts because they’re cheaper. But that may not be true in the long run. There are many benefits of selling customers your Manufacturer parts instead.
Speed Up the Order Process
There are definitely more aftermarket parts available than Manufacturer. But the large selection comes with a price. It would take you and the repair shop more time to discuss price, brands, quality and fit of a wide variety of aftermarket parts. That’s extra time that your parts department could be finalizing and increasing parts department sales with other customers.
Stop Wasting Time Processing Returns
When it comes to replacements, your customers absolutely need the right part for the vehicle. Otherwise, that part won’t work. Manufacturer parts are the best choice since they’re made by the original manufacturer. An Manufacturer part will easily fit the vehicle, match with other parts and perform exactly the same as the part that the repair shop is replacing. Since they’re a guaranteed fit, Manufacturer replacement parts minimize the time and cost of processing returns to your parts department.
Make Manufacturer Parts More Affordable
Price is important to repair shops. However, Manufacturer replacement parts usually cost more than aftermarket. That’s why Manufacturers offer promotional programs that often match or beat aftermarket pricing. For example, RepairLink has eight Manufacturer promotional parts programs (Ford, MOPAR, GM, INFINITI, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota, Lexus, and Volkswagen, International, and IC Bus) that provide back-end reimbursements to dealerships and discounts to shops.
2) Enable Shops to Order Your Manufacturer Parts Online
When a vehicle sits in the shop, it costs the parts installer money and is a potential revenue loss. The aftermarket does a good job making sure that repair shops can quickly and easily purchase auto parts online. To compete against aftermarket online parts ordering technology and incentivize repair shops to buy more auto part from you, offer an inventory of Manufacturer replacement parts online.
Protect Your Current Business
Many dealerships think that their customers don’t shop online – but they do. In fact, 85% of people start the buying process with online searches. So while many repair shops call you to place an order, they typically call after researching options online. Protect and grow sales to your current customers by making it easy for your customers to shop for and purchase your OE replacement parts online.
Gain New Customers
Most dealerships rely on phone calls for their auto parts orders. When you sell online, you reach repair shops that already buy parts online, but may not have looked at your OE parts inventory before. Lots of dealers gain new customers merely by selling online through programs like the RepairLink marketplace. When you sell your OE parts online, you get even more sales opportunities on top of the phone orders you already receive
Take Orders 24/7
Did you know that 52% of all parts ordering happens outside of typical business hours? The internet never closes. When you offer online parts ordering, your inventory is available to shops 24/7, without the expense of hiring a crew to work second or third shift. With online parts ordering, you can increase auto parts sales and begin each day with parts orders to fulfill.
3) Embrace Technology to Work Smarter, Not Harder
Efficient order processing is the difference between earning a profit and breaking even. Choosing a reliable software streamlines the Manufacturer parts ordering process, allowing dealers and shops to communicate faster and easier without errors.
Save Money with an Accurate Auto Parts Catalog
Choose a quality online parts catalog to enable repair shops to identify exactly what Manufacturer auto parts they need. Rather than faxing technical illustrations to your parts department, your customers can see best-in-class illustrations and technical diagrams online. After they find the mechanical auto parts they need, they can submit an online order directly to your parts department. This eliminates costly mistakes and returns from manually entering in the wrong part information.
Increase Speed and Efficiency by Reducing Back-and-Forth Calls
Customers that wait on hold when your team is busy on other calls may hang up and get their Manufacturer parts from somewhere else, resulting in a lost sale. Reliable online parts ordering software like RepairLink enables dealerships to be more efficient. Instead of time-consuming back-and-forth calls about part numbers, price, availability and other details, your customers can find all of this information online. This decreases the number and duration of phone calls so your phone lines are always open.
Improve Customer Service, Relationships and Loyalty
Relationships sell parts. Most dealerships build relationships with customers over the phone. A high-quality online parts ordering software doesn’t eliminate that. Instead, it increases your team’s ability to strengthen relationships with existing mechanical repair shop customers, build new accounts and increase fleet/installer business. Technology can’t replace the human touch your parts department provides, but it can be a tool to help keep profitable relationships strong.
Your parts department is a key contributor to your dealership’s revenue and profit. That’s why it’s important to look for new ways to grow parts sales. By selling more Manufacturer parts, selling them online and using a reliable software, you can increase parts department sales at your dealership. For help getting started, learn more about the Manufacturer online parts fulfillment software, RepairLink.
