Selling the Belt and Hose Market
To stay afloat, in the aftermarket, parts stores must learn to ebb and flow with the changes in technology and distribution.
Exploring Brand Value
Much like that age-old question about the chicken or the egg, this months topic begs a similar question. When it comes to parts, which do you look for first, quality or brand?
Prevention is Always Cooler than the Cure
Whether a vehicle is powered by a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, they both need a cooling system to keep the engine from overheating. Almost a third of the energy thats released in the combustion chamber is absorbed by the engine and cooling system as waste heat. Its enough BTUs (British Thermal Units) to
The Tricks of the Trade
The words I most fear (OK, maybe fear is a bit strong) on the telephone are,"I have a really good customer who…" Never have these words begun a sentence that ended with "wanted to compliment you on being a good supplier" or "appreciates the quality and service of the products you deliver." For a supplier,
New Markets in the Aftermarket
These products are flying off the shelves. Is your store taking advantage of this growing market?
Cool Refrigerant Sales
Of all the automotive products, perhaps none has undergone as many fundamental changes as automotive refrigerant. And that means new rules and regulations about who buys it.
A Lesson From Southwest
Who is guilty of trying to be all things to all customers? Well, maybe we shouldnt try to be.
The Strong do Survive
Contrary to popular belief, the strongest distributors are not necessarily traded on Wall Street. There are those in the market who long for days gone by for those halcyon days I keep hearing about when independently owned stores and WDs could still make a buck in this business. Many believe that the days of the
Pay on Scan: A Win-Win Situation?
The latest supply chain management idea that has hit the automotive aftermarket is called “POS” (pay-on-scan.) With this system, the retailer pays the supplier for the product when the retailer sells the product. After a quick read, this certainly sounds like a win-lose situation. However, after doing some research, I think this latest request by
The ASE Certification Debate
Once every other month or so, I get an email or a phone call from a technician who is upset that ASE certifies parts specialists. Here’s my response.