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Posted

Hey I,m going to be setting up shop here in the next month I Have all 3 stores with in 2 miles of me.Also have Valvoline contacting me.I want to be competive and offer quality parts with my repairs.I would like to minimize come backs especally for part failures I need to biuld my reputation up quick and good.So if any body had sugestions on which store are best or if a particular line/brand you like ?And what about bulk items like oil chemicals oil fitlers? Thanks

Posted

I personally use Oreilly auto parts which is the closest to me. Napa is too far away and although I have an Advance auto parts (only about 1/2 mile from Oreilly) I don't like the quality of their parts. I would use Napa or Carquest more than I would autozone or advance. Most of them will give you a dealer account with a tax number. Most of them sell the same parts or will price match. One of the nice things about the Oreilly is they are linked to my Mitchell which allows me to see the store inventory as well as order over the internet instead of calling the store and Oreilly gives me a 2% kickback for ordering over the internet. Mitchell also does this with Napa I know but not sure about the rest of them. The trick is to go with the store that you like the parts and the store that is the easiest to deal with. Meet the manager of each store if you haven't and see which one will give you the best deal and service.

 

As far as oil or filters, I don't use enough oil (about 150 gallons every 4 months) to bother with anything other than by the case. You can check around your area and see who deals with the wholesale oil. You can always go with a particular brand of oil and get in bulk from that supplier. As far as filters, Wix makes a Pro-tec line which you can buy $20 for a case of 12 and they make several different numbers that will work for many applications. Check that out.

Posted

We use CARQUEST. They have the best service and stand behind their parts. They have their downfalls, but they all do these days. I think China is doing a number on us.

 

Don't use AutoZone or any other parts house that caters to the DIY market.

 

Track all comebacks. You need to know if you have a part issue or tech issue. If you see a pattern, identify it and deal with ASAP.

 

In the downloads section in AutoShopOwer.com you will find a Comeback Form you can use. Click on downloads in the management section and use the form to track comeback.

 

Good luck!

Posted
We use CARQUEST. They have the best service and stand behind their parts. They have their downfalls, but they all do these days. I think China is doing a number on us.

 

Don't use AutoZone or any other parts house that caters to the DIY market.

 

Track all comebacks. You need to know if you have a part issue or tech issue. If you see a pattern, identify it and deal with ASAP.

 

In the downloads section in AutoShopOwer.com you will find a Comeback Form you can use. Click on downloads in the management section and use the form to track comeback.

 

Good luck!

 

We use to order a lot of parts from Carquest but they are not competitive on the pricing. They also have poor service in our market. We buy from the discounters and quite a bit from an area jobber that is also an AC Delco and Motorcraft distributor.

Posted

Also another thing to think about. If you are local to one parts store, they will give you benefits that you might not get otherwise. My local Oreilly's sends me work all the time :)

Posted
Wow, that's interesting. CARQUEST in my area is king. They have the best service. Some of the prices are high, but people accuse me of being high price too.

 

CarQuest closed their store closest to us. Now they only have one store in this market and I do not know if they will survive. NAPA is not strong either. The strongest stores here are O'Reilly and the local warehouse group I spoke of. CarQuest use to be our first call but now I rarely call them.

Posted

We don't have an O'Reilly's in our area. But from what I hear, they are a good company.

 

The CARQUEST Company in the North East is owned by a different group, actually its family owned. I know the owners personally. They are truly a class act. They are always there for you and help you in any way they can. When I had my grand opening they donated food, banners, man power to help that day and donated prizes to give away.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

         0 comments
      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.
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