For a long time now the parts department has been operating as a processing and inventory management department. Somewhere along the way we forgot that we should be providing customers with assistance in determining their needs and selling customers on the products that we offer.

To be sure it is important that we operate effectively. The systems and methods and procedures that we utilize must be time and cost efficient and productive. But that is not the only thing that is important. Availability or parts, responsiveness to customer needs, empathy and product knowledge all are critical items in the mind of the customer. Our inventory systems get a fair amount of attention due to the size of the investment and the critical need of having the right part at the right time. But the other aspects of parts selling take a back seat.

Responsiveness
This is normally defined in our setting as the "willingness the help customer's promptly." How long does it take to answer the inbound telephone calls? How quickly do we call back with backorder information? How long does it take to process a customer order on the phone or at the counter? These are all critical elements in responsiveness to our customers. How do you measure up?

Are there adequate signs and clear markings for customers to direct them to the parts department? Does the telephone system provide the response that is required?

Typically a parts department looks like an old fashioned hardware store. A waist high counter separating the customers from the parts service employees is a sign of "old thinking." Why do we need that high counter? It used to be said that we needed the shelf space underneath to store all of our books. Does that apply anymore? Have a look at how "inviting" your customer parts "counter" area appears. Are you satisfied with how it looks compared to other stores that your customers visit? Probably not! Why not change it?

How about the phone system? Can customers can directly to a specific individual in the parts department? Does the phone system ring to the next available parts employee if the specific person rung up is on the phone? Does the system ring to another store if every line in the store the customer called is busy on a phone? Can your telephone operator see the parts counter area from their job station? Do they still put calls in when everyone is running around busily? Do you track inbound calls to determine how long they take to be answered? How about measuring how long each phone call lasts? There are lots of things that could be done to improve this area don't you think?

There are several items that can be measured to determine how responsive you are to customer needs.

• Turnaround time on inquiries on price and availability
• Order process times
• Customer wait time for pickup orders
• The age of orders in "will call"
• The time to obtain all backorders to complete an order

Empathy
Empathy is the degree of caring that the employees in the parts sales area show to the customers. That "warm and fuzzy" feeling customers get from doing business with your company. This is almost an oxymoron in our Industry that we would provide a warm and fuzzy feeling in the parts department.

This is a more difficult item to quantify but we can obtain good information from surveys conducted professionally with our customers.

The items to measure would cover such subjects as:

• Asking customers what is important to them
• How were they treated in the parts department either on the phone or in person
• Asking if their experience was a positive one

This is but a very short list. Each of you will be able to ad other items that should be covered. Do it. Leave a customer comment card on the counter. Ask them a few, a short list, questions. Such as did the parts department satisfy their needs? Was the person serving them professional and knowledgeable? Were they polite? These are all simple things to be sure but very important

And we haven't touched on product knowledge or salesmanship. See you next month when we will cover these two items.

Don't forget it is not how good you are at what you know that is most important to your customers it is how good you are at who you are. We are people first. Make the experience personal and you will find that both you and your customers will be happier and more satisfied.

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