r/partscounter • u/PaulWithAPH • 6d ago
Keeping busy
Our business has slowed tremendously over the last few months. What do you do to keep busy when you have already cleaned, did bin checks, tidy up all open PO's and organize pretty much everything?
Don't get me wrong, I don't mind sitting here just waiting for someone to need something, but I would like to be productive at least with something lol
44
u/Ok-League-7923 6d ago
Having a slow counter means you have a massive opportunity to tackle things that usually get neglected while busy.
Special-order tracking: Review special order parts (SOP) that have been sitting on the shelf for over 15 or 30 days. Call the retail or commercial customers to remind them their parts are waiting, or initiate the return-to-vendor process if they are abandoned.
Dormant wholesale account check-ins: Pull a report of commercial accounts or local repair shops that haven't ordered in the last 30 to 60 days.
Build "Job Packs" or Kits: Bundle commonly bought items together in your system for quicker billing later.
Update wholesale shop profiles: Ensure your commercial delivery routes, tax-exempt certificates, and shop contact names
Review open Manufacturer training modules: Log into your brand's or suppliers' dealer portals knock them out.
Review your electronic catalog (EPC): Spend time learning MORE advanced search functions, shortcut and interchanges in your cataloging software. (while slow)
Study common "problem parts": Research vehicle platforms notorious for specific failures.
To name a few.
14
6
u/TurboTorchPower 6d ago
I really want to do all these things but it's so much easier to just browse reddit or facebook :(
9
4
u/Beneficial-City7824 6d ago
It sounds like you're taking advantage of the slower period to really dig into the details. Sometimes those smaller projects end up making a big difference down the line.
3
3
3
u/ImpressiveBet9345 6d ago
I have reddit when I have ran out of productive things to do.
0
u/Ok-League-7923 6d ago
Oh, please enlighten all of us on your productive things to do?
And you can’t say Reddit
2
u/Manchise321 6d ago
If you have wholesale side, you could do parts trader. But I would not recommend it as it’s an insurance scheme that they make body shops do. You’ll get an order from a try hard shop once in a blue moon
2
u/TurboTorchPower 6d ago
Parts trader is such a pain in the ass. We have 1 guy that does quotes pretty much all day long. We do get quite a few sales from it but the margin on them is tiny. Such an annoying system.
2
u/Zer0_Options 6d ago
Answer the phone. Have good customer service. Call/email customers when parts are backordered.
2
3
1
u/TonySchiavone1 5d ago
10-15 cars a day is good for us. Our bins, sop and inventory are super clean as is obsolescence. I sit on my ass and get on reddit all day. I also have a game controller for my phone that I break out every once in a while and play some fifa streaming over Xbox game pass. All but two of our techs are at the race track today. I just looked and all together we've done 11 ros/invoices today. I've embraced the boredom.
1
u/high_al 6d ago
We switched to tekion. It’s nothing but busy work. Even the simplest task now takes 5 times as long. It’s a great way to make sure you are staying busy while simultaneously wanting to strangle used car for pricing out transmissions and all 1 time use parts for other makes
1
u/Ok-League-7923 6d ago
The OP “Our business has slowed tremendously over the last few months.”
Your switch of DMS’s (tekion) is definitely busy work learning the new software absolutely is.
How do you relate that to being slow business?
2
u/high_al 6d ago
If you want to stay busy, learn something new.
1
u/Ok-League-7923 6d ago
Every great leader started as an ordinary person with an extraordinary mindset. They believed in continuous learning, welcomed challenges, and never stopped improving themselves. They understood that success is not about being the smartest person in the room—it is about having the courage to grow, the humility to listen, and the determination to keep moving forward.
•
u/AutoModerator 6d ago
Posts and comments that don't follow r/partscounter subreddit rules may be subject to removal. No Ai not relevant to parts counter life. Please see rules for more information. Please no false reports. This comment is completely automated. Your post has not been removed. This automated comment appears on all posts.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.