Maintenance vs. Repair: The Impact on Parts Sourcing
Knowing what maintenance parts your customers need will make their vehicles safer and more reliable — and your revenue greater.
The Evolution of Aftermarket Product Lines: Part IV
Technology and the global economy are forcing the industry to ask some fundamental questions about the way suppliers and distributors address the products they make, buy and sell. In part four of a five-part series, Dave Caracci continues to look at some of these questions and offers some possible answers.
The Evolution of Aftermarket Product Lines: Part III
Technology and the global economy is forcing some in the industry to ask some fundamental questions about the way suppliers and distributors address the products they make, buy and sell. In part III of a five-part series, Dave Caracci takes an honest look as some of these questions and offers some possible answers.
Crate Engines: A Smart Solution
Remanufactured engines, or “crate” engines as they are often called because they usually arrive in a shipping crate or on a wooden pallet, have become a popular alternative to overhauling engines that have reached the end of the road.
Product Training and Technology: More Like Rocket Science
Just when you think you have a handle on product training, something new is introduced to the market. Do you have the time, money and smarts to stay informed?
Keeping Your Bearing: Engine Bearings & Engine Kits
There’s a lot to know when ordering engine parts for a rebuild. Considering the labor involved, your customer will likely demand the best parts you can find.
Mechanic Connection: Sourcing Engine Parts
Because of the time and expense involved, many factors go into sourcing engine parts. It’s a typical scenario: a late ’90s front-wheel drive van suffers a blown cylinder head gasket and the owner drives the vehicle until the engine quits. Upon initial inspection, the engine will crank, start and run, but produces a one-half crankshaft-speed
Treating Customers with Empathy
Editor’s Note: This is the third article in a series on customer service. The first article, Creating Customer Loyalty: Are Your Customers Really Happy With Your Service, as well as the second, Bridging The Reliability Gap, can be found online at www.counterman.com. A common mistake made by many businesses is a homogeneous approach to their
Engine Hard Parts: Still a Hard Sell?
Are engine ‘hard parts’ so called because they’re more difficult to sell than other automotive products? While it’s true that the internal engine parts market is soft, hard parts sales can still be an important part of your overall sales.
Engine Kit Sales Tips
For many counterpeople, selling engine parts is no different than selling any other automotive replacement part: You identify the year, make, model and engine application, then look up the parts, right? That’s the basic process in a nutshell. But with engine parts, it isn’t always so simple. Most engine components are not replaced separately. A