Pittsburgh Wholesale Distributor Seeing Business Benefits from E-Catalog Integration

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Pittsburgh Wholesale Distributor Seeing Business Benefits from E-Catalog Integration

Specifically designed for the automotive aftermarket, Autopart is designed to seamlessly integrate all sales, stock management, accounting and reporting processes into one easy-to-use package.

Counterman Staff
By Counterman Staff
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MAM Software, a wholly owned subsidiary of MAM Software Group, showcases the power of Autopart and Autocat through the experience of one of its customers, Professional Parts Inc.

Professional Parts Inc. (PPi) is a family-owned and family-operated parts wholesale distributor headquartered in Pittsburgh. The National Pronto Association member has three locations serving the Pittsburgh area.

PPi has been using Autopart business management software since September 2014.

Specifically designed for the automotive aftermarket, Autopart is designed to seamlessly integrate all sales, stock management, accounting and reporting processes into one easy-to-use package, according to MAM Software. The integrated electronic-parts catalog – Autocat – gives counter staff fast access to up-to-date application data at point of sale.

“Autopart is fast, reliable and accurate,” said Rich Johnston Jr. of Professional Parts Inc. “Any transactions that happen within Autopart are traceable and verifiable.”

Autopart’s integration with other MAM Software and third-party applications has been a benefit to PPi, which now utilizes Phocas (business intelligence) and Autocat in conjunction with Autopart.

“The combination of Autopart and Autocat has been excellent,” Johnston Jr. said. “At the point of sale, having an accurate and up-to-date catalog can often be the difference between making the sale or sending the customer to a competitor.”

Through the use of Autocat, PPi also has the ability to create its own custom categories and groups. The catalog can be organized by current industry formats but also gives the distributor the ability to create custom groups for common or harder-to-find parts.

“Another great thing about MAM Software is they are always working to improve the product. Not just bug fixes, but adding features to help us increase the usefulness of their software,” Johnston Jr. said. “MAM Software also has some of the best customer-service people in the business. Most of the time the issue isn’t an Autopart issue, but a feature request or a training issue. Regardless, they respond in a timely manner and do their utmost to make the customer happy.”

Mike Jamieson, CEO at MAM Software, added: “We’re delighted to have Rich and the team at Professional Parts Inc. on board as a customer. They have adapted well to Autopart and Autocat and are now seeing some tangible business benefits. Since going live, they’ve been great to work with and we look forward to many more years of a productive partnership.”

MAM Software will be presenting Autocat at AAPEX booth No. 2279.

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Customer Service: How It’s Done

Customer service should be your number one priority, and it all starts with the greeting.

Eric Garbe
By Eric Garbe
Eric Garbe is a graduate of Columbus State Community College with a degree in Automotive Maintenance Technology. He has extensive independent and dealership field experience as a technician and shop owner and is an ASE Certified Master Technician and former Adjunct Automotive Professor. He has been professionally writing automotive technical articles and documents for many years and in his free time enjoys restoring old cars and creating custom interiors and upholstery.
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This is always an important topic to discuss, because I consider excellent customer service one of the most important tools you can have to earn trust, respect and repeat business from the customers that come through your door. Whether that customer is do-it-yourselfer from across town or the professional repair shop across the street, your business depends on a solid relationship.It’s a subject that I am passionate about, and it’s one that many people are losing touch with. Whether you are communicating to someone in person, on the phone or using some type of social media, good customer service and bad can both exist. You can’t afford the latter, so this is the first in a series of topics which can and should be shared from the front of the shop to the back. No matter which role you hold, you represent the shop and yourself. Customer service should be your number one priority.First on the list is the greeting. From the second a customer walks in the door, they need to know you appreciate them coming in and how important they are to your business. First impressions are everything and here’s the correct way to do it each and every time: look them directly in the eye, smile and say hello!Of course, you can say “Good morning” or “Welcome to Joe’s Autocare,” but it should be a formal greeting and the most important thing is that you have smiled, looked them in the eye and recognized that they have walked through the door.You should always retain a formal greeting until you are on a first-name basis with a customer. Only once you have established that level of relationship is it OK to use the less formal greeting of “Hi,” followed by the person’s name.This greeting does more than just indicate respect and appreciation for someone walking through the door. Most likely there are customers both new and old who are in earshot of your conversation. For newer customers, this continues to build rapport and reinforce their positive view of your shop; they see that you demonstrate respect and treat everyone in the same manner. For repeat customers, even ones that have been coming for years, the greeting is important because the way you treat them is the reason they continue to come.And when a long-time customer comes in and you greet them with “Hi [First Name],” this indicates your appreciation for them and that you’re glad to see them as a person, more than just a customer. New customers that witness this will see that your repeat customers are comfortable enough to be on a first-name basis, another indication of the trust they have in you.

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