Articles

With 2003 now behind us it is time, and a new optimism starting to set in for 2004 it is clear that we must get into a serious new action oriented mode.

We seem to have come out of the other side of a long period of concern and retrenchment. Now is the time to start changing our approach. We must become bolder and more active in the pursuit of our goals. And what are those goals for the product support group. They are the same as they have always been but with more urgency now than in the past.

We must work diligently on several critical items.

• Market Coverage
• Asset Management
• Customer Service
• Process Effectiveness

Market Coverage

This is an extremely critical area that we must do a better job at in the future. We need to operate with a deliberate plan of ensuring that our most important customers have deliberate contacts either in person or on the telephone. We have to operate with skilled Product Support Sales personnel. The sales people must know their products and services cold; features and benefits; customer service delivery systems; competitive offerings; and all of the processes that the dealership uses. People that know and understand the customer businesses and can serve them in the manner that the customers expect and appreciate. We need to have trained and motivated employees in service and parts. Employees who know what the goals are of the dealership and can use all of the tools and resources that are available within the distribution channel from systems and methods to supplier methods and objectives. These are the employees who will put a face and a personality on the service value that our customers feel and experience with your dealership on a daily basis.

Asset Management

With the rapid pace with which the manufacturers are putting new models into the market the management of the inventory will become more difficult than ever. For the OEM’s that have high interchangeability with their parts and components this will be an easier task but there are many that don’t have a high level of interchangeability. At the same time we need to ensure that the levels of stock that we carry provide the level of service to the customers that will keep them coming back. Don’t forget that the number one reason for a choice of a parts supplier is availability.

Customer Service

We must more than at any time in our past provide peerless service to our customers. The people serving customers must know their products and services and be able to communicate effectively with the customers in determining their needs in parts and labor so that their equipment operates as it was designed to work. We must have strong customer service delivery systems for walk in, phone in and all other methods that the customers use. This includes the internet more now than at any time.

Process Effectiveness

The methods and systems that we use must provide us information and tools in a cost effective and productive manner. It is no longer acceptable to have cumbersome and repetitive procedures. We MUST be the lowest cost provider of the highest value products and services. We owe it to ourselves, our employees and our customers. Many of us have a lot of work to do in this area. We have languished for too long with unproductive systems and methods and we have ill served our employees and customers.

There is a lot to do. This is not the time to breathe a sigh of relief this is a time to redouble our efforts. If we want to satisfy customers we must provide service value that comes from satisfied and motivated employees. Then and only then can we have an increase in sales and profits.

Don’t forget that you will get what you earn or what you deserve. The choice is yours.

I wish you all a safe, happy and prosperous 2004. I hope to see you in Florida at the convention.